West Central Florida Forecast
January 02, 2026
By Capt. Ray Markham
Capt. Ray Markham covers the fishing forecast from Aripeka to Longboat Key, including Hudson, Anclote Key, Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Clearwater, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Anna Maria Island and Bradenton. Contact info: RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM ; 941-228-3474; www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Jan. 2-4 Report Saturday’s full moon will bring in some unsettled weather for a few days as another cold front approaches on Saturday night, increasing the chances of some rain. Southerly winds on Saturday morning will help hold water in the bays to add to the extreme low tide that’s predicted. A drop of water temperature of a few degrees will dictate presentations with artificial lures to be a little slower. Breezy conditions with the front may prevent some boaters from getting out, as gusts in excess of 20 mph are anticipated.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Offshore fishing might be questionable on Saturday and possibly Sunday as well. Saturday’s weather looks a little sporty according to weather gurus. Between the wind and waves fighting each other, it appears it could be a real chummer. Some rain may be in the forecast for Saturday evening and possibly Sunday, but it appears that the wind and wave action will remain steady until Monday morning. With that in mind, if you do plan to head out, monitor the latest weather updates for the area you’re heading to. This website may provide you with more information. https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/west-florida-central-buoy.
Nearshore anglers could have a shot at getting out to target hogfish. Hogs seem to be on the radar for most anglers in recent weeks. It’s gotten to the point that some anglers are reporting a shortage of live shrimp at bait shops. Anglers targeting hogfish have found shrimp to be one of their baits of choice, and some anglers are heading out with 15 to 20 dozen shrimp per angler. If that is what you’re finding, you might try frozen blanched sand fleas. Decades ago, we used sand fleas, and they worked, but the blanched frozen sand fleas were easier to store and keep. Live sand fleas have become more difficult to find here on the West Coast, possibly due to the beach renourishment that seems to be an endless task with all the storms and hurricanes each year. Mangrove snapper, grunts, triggerfish, and perhaps some red grouper and a few other members of the snapper family have been available inside 80 feet of water west of Pinellas and Manatee Counties.
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Capt. Rick Gross, out of Bradenton, fishing aboard Fishy Business, has been putting his anglers on good numbers of large flounder on nearshore artificial reefs and areas of rocky bottom just off the beaches.
INSHORE Look for some protected areas to fish if you hope to get on the water this weekend. Winds predicted to be gusting in excess of 20 mph, some protected water might be a little cleaner and hold some fish. Water temperatures have fallen a few degrees this week, so a slower presentation should be the one that puts some meat in the boat. Live shrimp will work for most species, but if getting out in a boat isn’t doable, most area piers, seawalls, docks, and rock piles are holding sheepshead that can be accessed on foot or by car. The Sunshine Skyway Fishing piers have been producing catches of sheepies, mangrove snapper, seatrout, and flounder. Some out-of-season gag grouper are also being caught along with some scattered bluefish. Early this week, we saw some schools of mullet that were holding redfish as they traveled on the flats.
Residential canals in Tampa around Old Tampa Bay, Clearwater, Dunedin, and Bradenton have been holding snook. Look for older docks with big, deep-drafting boats to have the deepest areas with lots of marine growth. Fish the sterns of vessels where holes are blown out by prop wash with live or artificial shrimp for whatever is there, because everything you’ll find will eat a shrimp.
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Pick almost any river, and you’re likely to find snook moving well up toward the headwaters if the river is spring-fed. Groundwater temperature will be about 72 degrees, and tolerable for snook that are not cold-hardy fish.
FRESHWATER Bass action has been steady, and each cold front seems to turn these fish on. You’ll find some areas with beds around the lake shores. Soft plastic lizards are hard to beat. Almost any creature bait will produce when fishing around these beds. You’ll likely find large male bass fanning or defending the beds, and bluegill trying to molest and steal the eggs if they have been laid. This might be a good day to work the perimeter of some local retention ponds that exist in many subdivisions. Good protection from wind, no wave action, and possibly some places that don’t get fished too often might be the place to be if other areas aren’t fishable. Give them a try and send me some photos. You might be the next star here on www.floridasportsman.com. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later.
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
PREVIOUS REPORTS Dec. 26-28 A decent weather weekend ahead should have a lot of anglers hitting the water before the next cold front that is expected in the first part of next week. With those taking an extra day off from the Christmas holiday, a lot of people will be trying out some new toys that Santa brought. Inshore, we should see snook and trout very active in the bays wherever there is structure and grass patches. Redfish will be on the prowl for whatever they can find. There are still some schools of mullet around, so look for big jumping mullet to give you a key to locating some fat reds.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE A variety of fish have been caught in nearshore waters recently. Hogfish still seem to be the star of the show, with some of the best action being in the 40 to 70-foot depth range. You can still catch them beyond that, but you’ll start getting into a better area for red grouper, which are more aggressive and can shut down the hogfish bite. Hogs are somewhat timid and hold back when there is a feeding frenzy going on. The top bait has been blanched sand fleas for hogfish. Shrimp still work, but you’ll go through a lot of shrimp, and they are a little pricy when you go through 10-15 dozen per person.
Lane and mangrove snappers have been feeding regularly, if you look for them just inside 90 to 100 feet of water.
Offshore reports from federally permitted boats targeting red snapper have been good. We are in the final week of the open season for that segment with the federal permits on these for-hire vessels. Boats running the 12-hour Extreme and the 39-hour trips out of Hubbard’s Marina report good action in140 feet of water and beyond for red snapper. Yellowtail and occasionally mutton snappers will come on the deeper depths. Of course, if you’re heading out beyond those depths, there is always a possibility for some pelagic action with blackfin tunas, kingfish, and wahoo.
INSHORE As the week nears the first quarter moon this Saturday, tides have been slowing, along with the bite from ambush predators. They have to work a little harder for food instead of just positioning themselves in the eddies of the current where bait flushes right to them.
Snook action has had an upturn over the past week or so. Jigs like the CAL Shad and Marsh Minnow Jr. from MirrOlure, live shrimp, and MirrOlure 17MR MirrOdines have been effective in some of the backwater areas. Mud minnows have also taken some linesiders in the creeks and rivers.
Wherever you’re finding mullet schools, you’ll still find redfish; however, some of those big breeder-sized reds have been on the move back toward the deeper water of the Gulf. The MirrOlure Lil’ John and the Eppinger Rex Gold weedless Spoon have been my top-producing redfish lures.
Schooling trout have provided non-stop action for anglers during these negative low tides. Potholes and channels are holding some of the largest trout, running in excess of 20 inches in length. Live shrimp under popping corks have worked well, but if you don’t want to deal with live bait, the DOA Shrimp has produced similar action and numbers of fish.
Sheepshead have been on a feeding frenzy with every cold snap. Live fiddler crabs and blanched sand fleas have been the hot baits around docks, pilings, channel markers, rock piles, and seawalls up and down the coast.
With water temperatures cooling down, it’s time to think about sight fishing and stealth…all in the same breath. Don’t wear bright colored clothing. The water can get gin clear on calm days, and if you’re standing on your poling platform, casting platform, or just about anywhere on your boat, fish can see the bright colors. It’s also a good idea to be sure you have a good pair of polarized sunglasses, such as the popular Costa Del Mar brand. Amber or bright colored lenses enhance contrast in low light conditions, and a darker amber or brown lens with green mirrored coating seems to be about the best all-around colors for sight-fishing shallow water laid-up fish. But one very important yet often overlooked detail is the fishing line used on your reels. The thinner the line used, the less the friction it generates as it goes out through the rod guides, making for a longer casting distance. Even with very quiet and stealthy boats, there can be pressure waves that come away from the boat’s hull, signaling danger to wary fish and shutting down the bite. New innovations in lines continue to evolve that enhance casting distance while also providing superior strength. Power Pro’s new Max-8, 8-carrier braid is one such line that boasts 25% thinner diameter than conventional brands. It has unequaled sensitivity and hook-setting power, and in cooler water situations where the bite from redfish, snook, trout, and others can be a slight tap, the sensitivity of this line allows for instant and solid hook sets. The extra casting distance sets this line apart from others, which will allow you to reach out to fish that otherwise don’t detect your presence. This will equate to more fish caught.
FRESHWATER Reports around the region from anglers who have been bass fishing have been good and steady, but the rumble from the majority has been that the crappie bite has been on fire. It’s still a bit early for the peak of crappie season, but a good stringer of specks is doable for anglers dropping Missouri Minnows or trolling maribou jigs or Team Crappie Slab Spankers from Blakemore.
Bluegills are still a viable target, especially for anglers fishing with red wiggler worms or crickets, but for the purist looking for a little challenge, nothing beats a fly rod. Lightweight rods from a 2-weight to a 5-weight can do the job for both bass and panfish. Small poppers about #4 or #6 sizes will serve for both species.
For those new to fly fishing, or if you have a new fly rod and are now wondering what to do with it. Here’s where you can learn the basics or enhance your skills.
CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed Fly-Fishing School-Sat, Jan 10, 202 6
CB’s Saltwater Outfitters, 1249 Stickney Point Rd, Sarasota, FL, will hold an Orvis-Endorsed fly-fishing school on Sat, Jan 10, 2026. The class, designed for beginning and intermediate fly casters, will focus on basic fly-casting principles, improving casting skills, and correcting faults. Certified Instructor Capt. Rick Grassett will also cover saltwater fly-fishing techniques, leader construction, and fly selection. Cost for the class, which will run from 8:30 AM to approximately noon, is $225 per person and includes the use of fly tackle and a workbook. Optional instructional guided fly-fishing trips are also available for an additional fee. Contact CB’s Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 to make reservations. Space is limited, so contact CB's Saltwater Outfitters as soon as possible to sign up.
With some fishable weather ahead, plan on hitting these good weather windows and getting on the water. Even better, bring the kids along. You’ll thank me later. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later.
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Dec. 19-21 Report As we head into the holiday season, with Christmas and the New Year approaching, we are reminded that the first day of winter arrives this Sunday. It also falls one day after the new moon, which will trigger some super low tides. Weather predictions for early mornings to see winds gusting to nearly 20 mph and decreasing from the southeast by sunset with overcast skies. Saturday’s new moon should get water moving inshore that fish can use to their feeding advantage.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE The nearshore bite for hogfish has been on fire. Anglers working from 40 to 70 feet of water have done well with some decent-sized hogfish, along with some mangrove snapper and plenty of white grunts. It’s hard to say grunts without saying grits if you’re from the South. Red grouper have been hitting from about 80-feet and out to 130-feet according to reports. A variety of snappers, including red snapper (on federally permitted vessels). Recreational anglers can still target red snapper on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through December 31st. Vermilion, lane, and yellowtail snappers are also being caught. Porgies and triggerfish are also possibilities.
Anglers have been catching a pile of red grouper on recent trips aboard Hubbard's party boats recently. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Ray Markham) Well offshore, when anglers can get out beyond 140 feet, an occasional wahoo, blackfin tuna, mahi mahi, or a stray sailfish might be caught. Several reports of anglers catching cobia that have been swimming with manatees on the flats in warmer portions of the bays.
INSHORE After this last cold snap, anglers are finding more snook moving up inside the rivers from the upper Tampa Bay to the Manatee River. Palm River, the Alafia, Little Manatee, and Manatee Rivers are all holding good numbers of snook. Deepwater docks in the ICW have also been holding on to docks at night. Trout have been showing up to the party as well. All are hitting baby squid, shrimp, mud minnows, and mangrove crabs around the edges of the canals and creeks and in the dock lights.
Anglers fishing around Anclote and the Cotee River report a lot of short, speckled trout being caught under popping corks with live shrimp. But just south of there in St. Joseph’s Sound, trout over 20 inches have been reported. Many places in Tampa Bay have been hit-or-miss with redfish, but not from the South Shore of Tampa Bay to Cockroach Bay. One angler reported catching 32 short redfish in Cockroach Bay. Give them another year or two and catch ‘em again!
Jetty anglers find sheepshead to be among the most cooperative fish this time of year. Photo credit- Hubbards Marina. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Ray Markham) Sheepshead are cooperating around just about every dock piling, rock pile, seawall, or artificial reef, making them a prime target even on the bad weather days. Live fiddler crabs might be the top bait to use, but small live shrimp, sand fleas, and even a few barnacles threaded on a hook will entice these bait-stealing fish. Capt. Dylan Hubbard, out of Hubbard's Marina at John's Pass in Madeira Beach, said the bite has been steady with some nice sheepshead being caught on the jetty and the docks around the pass.
With Christmas next week, there will be a lot of company in town, and many may want to go fishing. Typically, most holidays won’t see a lot of anglers on the water, but this being a special holiday with gifts being exchanged, there may be a lot of folks looking to try out a new lure, rod and reel combo, or maybe a new pair of sunglasses. This time of year, when the water temperatures drop, algae begin to die off, and the water becomes very clear. This is a great time for sight fishing for laid-up redfish or big trout that love hanging in some skinny water over a dark mud bank, sunning themselves. Eliminating the glare on the water gives you the best opportunity to see your targeted species and make presentations that give you the best odds of catching your fish. With dozens of brands out there, it’s hard to pick just one, with so many brands being of high quality. I’ve used several brands over the years and have many different pairs of sunglasses for the multiple situations I will encounter while I'm on the water. My Costa Del Mar Harpoon frames fit my face with a wrap that blocks out extraneous light, giving me a complete picture of what I’m seeing as well as protection from ultraviolet light. The Float Collection from Hobie Eyewear is a line of sunglasses with a unique feature. They float. For those running personal watercraft, canoes, or kayaks that could get you wet and possibly take you for an unexpected swim, it’s good to know that if your glasses come off in the water, you can still retrieve them. I can’t tell you how many pairs of sunglasses I have lost to the ‘deep six’.
Bass like this one, caught on a TFO 5 wt. fly rod, feed on foam spider imitations. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Ray Markham) FRESHWATER The holidays usually give us some time with family or friends, which can include a few hours on the water. Fishing lakes, ponds, and bodies of water close to home can be the ideal situation for some family fun for a few hours or the day. Step up to the bank to test that new fishing lure or rod and reel combo, or even sit down at the table with a new fly-tying vice, some fur, feathers, and hooks to create a new bug that a lunker largemouth will inhale, are all terrific ways to spend the holiday. If you have kids, there is no better way to bond with them than to take them fishing. Girls love fishing too, so don’t leave them out. ‘Til then…may your chimneys be soot-free, as Santa’s on his way.
Merry Christmas to all, may there be Peace on Earth, and to all a good night.
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Dec. 12-14 Report Cooler nights and warm days this week could set us up for a good weekend of fishing. Winds should be down much of the weekend until later Sunday when our next front is due, bringing some northerly high winds. This first-quarter moon will slow the tides down, so inshore anglers will have to pay more attention to wind direction and velocity to find those places with good water movement.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE NEWS FLASH! Changes are in the wind that begin December 11th through the end of this year for red snapper. NOAA Fisheries announced the reopening of the 2025 Federal Gulf of America Red Snapper federally permitted Recreational For-Hire Season. So, if red snapper is your thing and you want to catch them to take home, but don’t have a boat, find your favorite federally permitted charter/ headboat and book a trip asap. Recreational anglers may still fish on the 3-day weekends (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), through the end of the year, for red snapper and take a limit home. For more information, click here .
Consistent action has been seen for anglers working the 40-to 70-foot depths for hogfish. Small ledges and patches of hard bottom have been holding fish. Grunts and porgies will also be in that range and more aggressively chewing baits. Live shrimp are your best bet for hogfish, but you’ll go through a lot of them while the grunts and porgies have their way with them before the hogs move in to feed.
Nearshore hogfish caught on one of Hubbard's Marina boats. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Ray Markham) According to Capt. Dylan Hubbard at Hubbard’s Marina in John’s Pass on Madeira Beach, anglers are finding some decent action for lane snapper in 60-to 100-foot depths along with a few mangrove snapper. The snapper bite improves beyond those depths. Vermilions have been chewing mostly beyond 100-foot depths. You’ll likely find a few yellowtails mixed in as well at that depth range.
A recent report this week had one angler reporting some Spanish and king mackerel off Sarasota from the nearshore artificial reefs and westward. Likely, a few kingfish will also be in the mix. Well beyond that, there is a possibility of hooking blackfin tuna, wahoo, or mahi mahi.
INSHORE This week’s cold snap may slow fish until waters warm a bit, so slow down presentations when using artificial lures to up your odds of catching more fish. What’s on tap this week to catch? Well, live shrimp might be your best bet for natural baits and perhaps a DOA Shrimp or Berkley Gulp! Shrimp or the new Gulp! Ripple Mullet for artificials. These lures work on almost any inshore species, but are especially effective for snook, trout, redfish, and flounder. While snook season is closed until March next year, catch-and-release for snook is fun, but be aware that as water temperatures fall, these fish become more inactive and can be difficult to resuscitate from a battle and potentially die from the process. When water temperatures get below 60-65 degrees, I tend to avoid areas that I know will hold snook. But if I do hook them, I take extra care to avoid handling them and release them as soon as possible.
Schooling trout get easier to dial in and catch this time of year. With north winds blowing, extra low tides are possible well into the negative zone. This concentrates fish, making them easy to catch limits quickly, especially using tandem-rigged jigs like those from DOA Lures. Channel edges can load up with trout, and using a popping cork rig with a shrimp lure or live shrimp suspended under the cork can be productive for trout.
Night fishing for trout can be effective around dock lights and bridge fenders. The light attracts bait, and the trout will school up around the perimeter of the lights. Freelining live shrimp or a DOA Shrimp cast uptide and allowed to drift into the light usually results in a hooked trout or even a big snook.
Capt. Ray Markham with a flounder caught on a CAL Shad. Working passes this time of year with jigs can produce a multitude of species. Berkley’s new saltwater PowerBait Paddlin’ PowerSinger 3.5-inch paddle tail or the CAL 3-inch Shad can add flounder to your catch. Working these lures slowly on the bottom is the best way to attract these fish. They will always be on the bottom, and even in clear water, you may not see them lying there waiting to ambush a passing prey. I can’t stress the importance of maintaining contact with the bottom. Whether it’s hopping a jig slowly off the bottom or dragging it on the bottom, the effectiveness of these lures is best with contact on the bottom. Most depths I’ll find them in range from about 4 to 8 feet. These fish lie on sand, shells, grass patches, and rocks and have the ability to change their coloration to match the bottom, making it easy to make a stealthy attack on prey. Jig heads ranging from ¼ to ½ ounces seem to work well with a 20-25 pound test mono leader about two feet in length. Main lines of about 10-pound test braid are perfect for these fish and the conditions you’ll find them in. Since these fish usually get hooked with their mouths sideways to hooks, as they get closer to the boat, it becomes more important to maintain a bend in the rod and a tight line and get a net under the fish to land it. It will tremendously increase your odds of getting the fish in the boat. They are notoriously known for getting off at the boat.
Redfish schools seem to be getting fewer, but if you can still find some mullet schools, you’re almost guaranteed to find a few reds mixed in with them. Bladed jigs like the new Saltwater PowerBait Slobberknocker from Berkley have been producing some nice catches of redfish in lower Tampa Bay near the South Shore down to the Skway, as well as up inside the bay around Weedon Island. Farther south, from Sarasota to Venice and Englewood, anglers report good action with redfish using the MirrOlure 17MR MirrOdine.
Road Runner lures among others are excellent for catching crappie. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Ray Markham) FRESHWATER Good reports of crappie, bluegill, bass, and a variety of panfish being caught are coming in from around the region. There are a lot of small lakes and ponds in Pasco, Polk, Hillsborough, Manatee, and a few good ones in Pinellas that hold most of these fish.
Trolling Blakemore Roadrunners has been one of my easiest methods of locating bass and crappie. Crappie schools are getting more prevalent as we get into the winter months. The Team Crappie Slab Spanker is one of my top choices for crappie trolling with its curl tail and under-spin blade producing an attractive flash and vibration. I troll as slow as my trolling motor will go and vary my depth until I find a depth that produces, and then work that area, retracking my plot trail on my recorder to get back to fish schools.
Bass have been actively hitting blade baits. The cooler water seems to have an invigorating effect on these fish, and the attractive skirts and vibration of lures like the Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer have been a popular lure with many bass pros as well as weekend warriors.
As always, fishing is more fun when you take kids with you. Teaching them about conservation and respect for the outdoors environment is paramount to getting the next generation involved in fishing, as well as the future of the sport. So, do us all a favor and take a kid fishing. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Dec. 3 Report Moving away from Thursday’s full moon, winds over the coming weekend will have a southerly direction, bringing moisture to us, increasing the chances of some rain and gusty conditions. A drop in barometric pressure could turn on a good bite.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Hubbard’s 39-hour trips have been off the chain good. Light loads onboard have given anglers plenty of elbow room. Red grouper, mangrove snapper and a few lane snappers have been chewing in somewhat shallower areas than the norm, from 80 to 100 feet of water. The night bite was especially good for mangrove snapper this week. Despite rough conditions, anglers prevailed. Vermilion snappers and some triggerfish were also in the catch. Pinfish have been attracting some big fish. Mutton snappers that have been active lately have slacked off, but red grouper took over, bending rods. This is a great time for offshore action.
Nearshore waters from 40-to 60-foot depths continue to produce banner catches of hogfish, white grunts, porgies, and several other species.
Kudos to Hubbard’s Marina, announcing a plastic-free initiative across its entire fleet starting in January 2026. This will enhance our waters by keeping this harmful substance out of them.
The snapper bite has been insane for anglers fishing aboard the party boats out of Hubbard's Marina. INSHORE Sheepshead have been actively feeding around docks, rock piles, and seawalls lately. They have been an easy target when we have days that raise small craft warnings and high winds. Certainly, we have had some great weather between fronts, but for most anglers, it’s during the time they are at work. If you have a flexible work schedule or some vacation days to use before the end of the year, this weekend might be one to get out in some wind-protected areas. The full moon on the 4th will be waning, but tides will be ripping. Winds are predicted to be from a southerly direction most of the weekend, and that should make for some tide levels that are higher than the predicted levels. Look for redfish to hang around the mangroves during the day. Cut mullet, pinfish, or ladyfish will be hard to refuse, but anglers tossing lures will find a DOA Shrimp effective when skipped back up under overhanging mangroves. Dead-sticking lures like Berkley Gulp! can have similar results to fishing with cut bait due to their scent-attracting quality. Mullet schools have been around for the past couple of weeks in better numbers, and redfish have been running with them. MirrOlure Marsh Minnow Jr. and Berkley Powerbait Paddlin’ PowerStinger lures have been deadly, along with CAL Jigs with Shad tails.
This 4-pound flounder was caught on a CAL jig with a Shad tail while on a charter with Capt. Ray Markham Trout have been hanging in depths ranging from 4 to 6 feet of water. On the warmer, sunny days, I’ve found some larger fish moving up into the shallow potholes to get warm. Suspending lures worked in these shallow areas have been getting hammered by some of the larger trout. Jerk baits like the CAL 5.5 jerkbait, rigged in the nose with a single 3/0 Owner live bait hook, have outpaced many other lures for some of the largest trout, and can be fished in just about any depth without hanging up. Rigged Texas-style, the lures will remain weedless, but hook-up ratios drop a bit with the weedless rigs.
Flounder reopened this week and have been caught with much greater regularity than in previous years. An influx of larger fish is showing up in Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, and areas from Dunedin north. Look for moving water, sandy bottoms, or bottoms with a combination of shell, grass, or rocks, which are preferred spots where these fish can lie and wait to ambush prey. Passes can be some of the most productive areas. Drag jigs on the bottom slowly for best results. Tipping a jig with a bit of shrimp always seems to enhance the bite.
Anglers with a pair each of some hefty Lake Okeechobee bass while fishing with Capt. Angie Douthit of South Florida Bass Fishing . FRESHWATER Late fall fishing is in full swing all around the state, and lakes, retention ponds and rivers are producing some excellent catches of speckled perch, bluegill and largemouth bass. Capt. Bucky Goldman of Bag'em Fishing Charters out of West Chase has been taking advantage of some of the retention ponds in his area between his charters and catching some chunky bass on crankbaits. The fishing has been spectacular around the state, and one of the nation's top big bass lakes is Okeechobee right here in Florida. Captain Angie Douthit says anglers are catching some lunker bass, stringers of bluegill, and limits of crappie with her on the “Big O”. She can be reached through her website or by phone at (863) 228-7263 for charter bookings and encourages anglers to book as soon as possible for the best dates. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Nov. 28-30 Report This holiday week will see another cold front moving into the region by Wednesday night and Thursday, leaving some cooler weather behind as folks enjoy their holiday meals. Heading into the weekend, calmer winds and rising temperatures are expected to prevail by Sunday. Many families will take some time off and use their vacation days to enjoy and celebrate with their families. Adding football and parades on TV to this generally makes for some lighter-than-normal boat traffic on the water. It might be a little breezy even in backcountry waters, but it should be fishable for some anglers at least by Sunday.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Anglers pushing offshore may want to consider waiting until the winds from the cold front that arrives early Thanksgiving to come down. It might be Sunday before winds subside, but whatever your plans are, if they include heading anywhere in a boat, be sure, as always, to leave a float plan.
This young lad caught two nice hogfish and some others while fishing onboard www.anglersdreamfishing charters out of St. Petersburg Beach. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Ray Markham) The nearshore fishing has been spectacular for hogfish and a good variety of other species. Some are saying it’s the best hogfish bite in a long time. Exceptional action has been coming from 40-to 60-foot depths where anglers fishing with Angler’s Dream Fishing charters reported catching white grunts, mangrove snapper, porgies, hogfish, and others. Anglers Dream Fishing charters runs out of St. Petersburg Beach at 4737 Gulf Blvd. behind Dolphin Village, and may be reached by phone at (727) 744-4015, or email at anglersdreamfishing@yahoo.com .
Winds switching to the east by Saturday night and Sunday can make nearshore waters out to a couple of miles or so, flat and reasonably calm, but much farther than that, be aware that going out will be much easier than coming back against the wind and waves.
INSHORE This weekend will likely be one where you’ll be looking for a place to hide from the wind that also has good sun exposure over dark bottoms. Warming waters with any kind of forage will be the key to finding fish that will eat. Many of the baitfish schools that were on the flats recently have headed offshore for warmer water. With the drop in water temperature, slow down presentations of artificial lures. A shrimp lure such as the DOA 3-inch Shrimp is one of my go-to cold-weather lures for most species inshore.
Quiet presentations to fish in areas with clear water require long casts to be stealthy. Be aware of pressure waves that come off your boat as you step down into the cockpit from casting platforms. Lateral lines in fish can detect those movements from great distances, putting them on guard and perhaps not allowing them to feed. Sheltered areas in bays and backcountry waters can become very clear, making sight-fishing an opportunity. A good pair of sunglasses, such as those from Costa Del Mar, Smith, Bajio, and others, can remove glare on the water’s surface, allowing you to see into the water.
When water temperatures fall into the 60s, I scale down the sizes of most of the lures that I throw. Appetites wane in the cold water that controls a fish’s metabolism, triggering a slowdown of the appetite, so smaller baits like a Ned rig and other lures that are about 3 inches in size are good for snook, trout, flounder, and redfish. Curl tail soft plastic jig tails will have movement in the slightest current, even if just sitting on the bottom. These tails are some of my top producers for cold-weather fishing, rigged on either 1/16 or 1/8 oz. jig heads. For trout fishing, I will rig them in tandem. DOA Lures makes the C.A.L. Deadly Tandem rig that’s ready to use and is very effective for multiple hook-ups with silver and spotted sea trout.
The seasonal flounder closure ends at midnight, November 30. A nice flattie caught by Capt. Ray Markham on a CAL Jig with a Shad tail Flounder Re-Opens Next Monday, Dec. 1, the season reopens for flounder. Anglers may possess five flounder with a minimum size of 14 inches overall length. Fishing sandy areas where there are many changes, such as depth, sand, grass patches, shell, and rock, are perfect habitats for flounder, which are ambush predators. For sandy and shell bottoms, I typically fish soft-plastic tails like the MirrOlure Marsh Minnow Jr. or CAL 3-inch Shad tails rigged on a ¼ or 3/8 ounce jighead on the bottom. Maintaining contact with the bottom is paramount to fishing for these fish. Allow the jig to sink to the bottom and slowly make twitches with the rod that will create a small puff of sand with the jig, attracting the fish. If the fish hits and misses the lure, slow the lure some more, but keep a steady pace for the fish to make another attempt. These fish will come to the boat trying to eat a lure. If a fish drops off at the boat, put the jig back down on the bottom by the boat, and chances are the fish will hit again. They aren’t too bright. When hooked and brought to the boat, always net your flounder, as they have a habit of coming unbuttoned at the boat.
Snook season closes Dec. 1, so this is your final week to find and catch a legal-sized fish to take home. Rivers, creeks, and warmer areas with dark water will hold these fish around this cold front. Residential canals with good sun exposure and concrete seawalls will absorb heat that will attract these fish. Few lures will out-produce a shrimp imitation like DOA Shrimp in these conditions. In these sea-walled canals, cast right up against the seawall with the shrimp and let the lure fall, giving it an occasional twitch of the rod. Skipping the lure under boat docks can produce a variety of fish like snook, redfish, sheepshead, and mangrove snapper.
Capt. Bucky Goldman caught this pair of bass on one lure in a neighborhood retention pond in Wesley Chapel. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Ray Markham) FRESHWATER Neighborhood retention ponds were made for those days when the weather might not be the best, but fish in these ponds don’t see many anglers as a rule. Finding a pond where you can get permission to fish around it is key. If you’re fortunate enough to find one, lunker bass, big bluegill, and possibly even crappie will be fish you might be able to catch. Soft plastic worms and even the SnaKoil from DOA Lures will almost always produce some big bass. The Wesley Chapel residential area, as well as the Lakewood Ranch area in Sarasota, has numerous subdivisions with retention ponds. Capt. Bucky Goldman of Wesley Chapel finds some nice bass in his area. These types of areas are perfect for a short fishing trip with young kids with short attention spans, and can spark a lifelong interest in fishing and the outdoors.
Here's wishing to all many blessings and a very Happy Thanksgiving. When you see a veteran, please thank them for their service and thank God for our freedom. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Nov. 21 Report West central anglers must be wondering if this is the calm before the storm. After a week or so of very cold weather that was preceded by temperatures in the 80s, we are back in the 80s again. It might only last through the weekend or the beginning of next week, but this is Florida, and if you don’t like the weather, give it a little time, and you’ll get something you'll like better. The fish may be confused, but it’s here for now, so enjoy it.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Near-perfect conditions in the Gulf of America for long-range trips this week and perhaps through a portion of next week, but it will give anglers an extended weather window to get out and catch some quality fish.
Good numbers of hogfish have been reported, along with an excellent snapper bite. Big mangrove snappers have been the shining star for some, with fish averaging around 7 pounds for those hitting deeper areas beyond 100 feet of water. Lane, vermilion and mutton snappers continue to chew. For the few who have targeted cubera snapper, like some anglers fishing on one of the boats out of Hubbard’s Marina recently, they have managed to catch them to 40 pounds on live Florida lobster used as bait.
Quality red and scamp grouper are coming from potholes, ledges, and broken haard bottom in 100-140 feet of water for anglers fishing out of Hubbardn's Marina. Other action, with red grouper, triggerfish, porgies, grunts and others has been reported, and the deepwater areas beyond about 150 feet are giving up good numbers of pelagics like blackfin tuna, kingfish, and a few nice mahi and an occasional wahoo.
INSHORE The past week has been a good one for a variety of fish caught. While some days the action was slow with near breathless conditions, other days on and around the new moon saw some big improvements with a good variety of fish and increasing numbers being caught in the Tampa Bay area. My trips this week produced snook, spotted seatrout, redfish, flounder, jack crevalle, ladyfish, lizardfish, Spanish mackerel, puffers, mangrove snapper, pinfish and black seabass. All fish were caught on DOA CAL Jigs with Shad tails. Water temperatures ranged from 67 to 69 degrees most of the time. We even saw one tarpon that might have pushed the scales at about 120 pounds on some hard bottom in lower Tampa Bay. Some days we had fish that had eyes that were too close to the tails, and others, the fish were too large to keep, and yet others, the fish were out of season and released.
Roy Shute, of the Villages, with a 31-inch redfish caught while fishing with Capt. Ray Markham. Good action in the northern and mid-Tampa Bay areas with slot and over-slot redfish continues. Some legal trout were caught along with fair numbers of snook. Some of the channel and range markers in the upper bay are holding both Spanish mackerel and tripletail. Berkley’s new Gulp Ripple Mullet and Saltwater Paddlin’ PowerStinger PowerBait were both effective on a variety of species when rigged on a jig head. These lures are known for the fish-attracting scents and flavors that encourage fish to hold on to the baits longer. Anglers on the South Shore of Tampa Bay reported good numbers of redfish continuing to be caught along with some trout and snook from Cockroach Bay south to Joe Bay at the Skyway Bridge.
The Braden and Manatee Rivers are holding good numbers of snook that move with the changing water temperature. MirrOlure 17MR18 MirrOdines have been slamming snook in the rivers here. Live tilapia, whitebait, threadfins and shrimp have all been catching their share of linesiders.
Long Bar in Sarasota Bay has been holding some slot-size trout and redfish. Gold Eppinger Rex Weedless Spoons have been effective here. The Ringling flats have seen good numbers of trout, as has Palma Sola Bay to the north. DOA Shrimp have worked well in these locations, used with the DOA Deadly Combo popping cork rig.
The ICW from Madeira Beach to Dunedin is holding some slot and over-slot redfish and some big snook. Live shrimp, threadfins and scaled sardines are working well for them, as are MirrOlure Marsh Minnow Jr. soft plastic jigs.
St. Joseph’s Sound might have one of the best trout fisheries in our region. Good numbers of quality speckled trout are being caught from Clearwater to Anclote Key by anglers tossing a variety of baits and lures. Live shrimp is the easy choice of natural bait for anglers for numbers. But for larger trout, scaled sardines seem to be preferred.
Artificial lures are tough to beat during the winter months. Shrimp might be the only bait that could out-fish it for many species. But slow-sinking lures like the TTR26 and 52MR11 MirrOlure are classics that are likely in more tackle boxes here than any other. L & S Bait Company, out of Largo, Florida, has almost a cult following of sorts from Texas to Florida because of the effectiveness of their lures. While hard baits have been their mainstay for years, soft plastics have come on strong with their Marsh Minnows, Lil John jerk baits, and others finding their way into anglers’ hands and fish’s mouths. From topwaters to bottom dredgers, and inshore to bluewater, they manufacture products that will catch everything that’s out there.
Lake Seminole catfish caught by Capt. Ray Markham. FRESHWATER Bass, panfish, and crappie are actively feeding in the entire region, with many getting ready to spawn. For those who live in cities in residential areas with retention ponds, many of these ponds were stocked initially with panfish and/or bass. The closed systems allow the fish to grow with minimal predators other than a few anglers. But right now, some of the larger lakes, such as Lake Tarpon and Lake Manatee, are producing some good catches of bass and panfish. Manatee likely has more crappie than Lake Tarpon, but big bass live in Lake Tarpon. Lake Manatee also has a catfish fishery for those who like to fish for catfish. Slow trolling Blakemore Roadrunners is an easy way to catch bass. Some of the small underspin jig heads rigged with small Bobby Garland soft plastic curly tail bodies, known as the Slab Spanker by Team Crappie, can be cast, jigged, or trolled for bass and big crappie.
Taking up a fly rod this time of year, when the weather is decent and the winds are down, gives you a terrific chance of catching a lot of fish on the “long wand.” Hand-tied flies imitating worms, crickets, and other insects found around local lakes and ponds are the natural food sources that area fish target. The fly rod might be the best way to present these super lightweight offerings to fish. Many times these flies are much to light to cast with any other type of gear. Fly fishing is a challenge in itself, just getting the mechanics of casting down, but once you have that, mastering your presentation will come naturally. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later.
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Nov. 14-16 Report After a great Saturday of fishing last weekend, it was all downhill with the weather, ushering in high winds and by Tuesday morning, chilling north winds sent the mercury plummeting into the cellar, dropping water temperatures more than 10 degrees in some areas along the Suncoast West Central Region. This can make some big changes in fishing and where you’ll find fish. The weather is predicted to return to normal by this weekend.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Last weekend’s 32nd Old Salt Fall King of the Beach Kingfish Tournament had some smoking hot action with a lot of fish caught in both the kingfish division and the Spanish mackerel division. Nearly 400 boats competing for just under $300,000 in cash and prizes were up for grabs in the tournament, with multiple divisions. Hitting the top spot in the Overall Kingfish Division, winning the Crown with a 39.71-pound kingfish was Team Reel Down. Team Native Sport Fishing garnered the win with Captain Kyle Wallace at the helm to take home a 200 hp Suzuki outboard donated by Mastry’s Engine Center in the Single Engine Division. In the Ladies Division, Cheyenne Gunitt, fishing with Team Simply Hooked, boated a 29.61-pound king to take home $1,000 and a pendant from Johnston Jewelers. In the Youth Division, Martin Lane, fishing on Inverted, managed a 17.80-pound kingfish and took home a nice rod, a fish bag, and some swag donated by Fisherman’s Ideal Supply House. This year’s “Closest to” division, with a kingfish weighing closest to 20.25 pounds without going over, was Ocean Speeler fishing with Team Chasin’ Loot, putting up a 19.92-pound kingfish to take home an Owen & Son’s Trailer valued at $20,520. For the TWT winners, Traveling Division, and the Aggregate winner, click here .
The Spanish Mackerel Tournament had some keen competition, with some big Spanish mackerel being taken. Captain John Baldauf’s Team Afishinsea brought a 6.77-pound Spanish mackerel to the scales for the tournament win, taking home $5,000 for the day.
Mangos, muttons, blackfin tunas, scamp grouper, Spanish and king mackerel and so many other species have come over the rails aboard the party boats out of Hubbard's Marina. The bite is on fire! Party boats out of Hubbard’s Marina in John’s Pass reported steady action with hogfish, coming from the 40-to 70-foot range, along with grunts and porgies. Lane snappers have been active between 50 and 90 feet of water, chewing on live shrimp and chunks of threadfins. Mangrove snapper have been hit-and-miss unless you get deeper than 90 feet of water. Nearshore red grouper action has been ok with mostly undersized fish, but with some persistence, you can find some keepers inside 100 feet of water, and even more and larger fish beyond that. Triggerfish have been a tasty bonus for some lucky anglers. Mangrove, mutton, and yellowtail snappers have been consistently caught in depths beyond 100 feet of water. Ledges and potholes here produce some scamp grouper.
Pelagics have been active well offshore with blackfin tuna, kingfish, an occasional wahoo, and some mahi being put on ice.
Capt. Ray Markham with a nice Tampa Bay flounder caught on a 4-inch CAL Shad from DOA Lures. The season reopens December 1st. INSHORE The hard blow and cold weather scattered most schools of redfish this past week. But with the rising temperatures toward the weekend, and better tides as we approach next Thursday’s new moon, we can expect some better action with just about every species targeted. Some of the top targets might be sheepshead, flounder, redfish, spotted seatrout, snook, Spanish mackerel, and silver trout.
The cold weather early this week pushed snook up creeks and rivers, into backcountry holes, and into deep water just offshore. It effectively reduced the bite with water temperatures dropping into the mid-60s in some areas. The sheepshead bite never slowed. Speckled trout fishing in potholes and in channels was good for anglers fishing live shrimp and artificial shrimp, jigs, and slow-sinking lures like the TTR26 MirrOlure. Silver trout were found in deep holes ranging from 14 to 20 feet deep off Blind Pass and up inside Tampa Bay near Riviera Bay and off Weedon Island. The Manatee River also held some silver trout schools.
Much of the action with Spanish mackerel was in the Egmont Key Ship’s Channel leading into Tampa Bay and around the channel markers that attracted bait schools. Tripletail have been caught along the beaches with fair numbers coming from the Redington Beach area on swim buoys and crab trap floats by anglers tossing either live shrimp suspended under corks or small jigs fished in the same areas. Fly anglers targeting tripletail around the crab trap floats had some action using shrimp pattern flies off Sarasota and Bradenton Beaches.
Sheepshead were chewing around pilings from Clearwater north to Tarpon Springs. Live fiddler crabs are producing good catches of these fish.
Capt. Rick Gross of Bradenton with a slab crappie caught on a Blakemore Road Runner. FRESHWATER With temperatures on the upswing, look for bass and panfish action to remain steady with spawning action around the perimeters of lakes and shorelines of rivers. Crappie action has blown up in the lakes inland around Hillsborough, Pasco, and Polk Counties. Blakemore Road Runners, Berkley Slobberknockers, and Z-Man Jackhammer Chatterbaits have been working well. Dark colored soft plastic worms are also very effective. The 5-inch Yamamoto Senko, Zoom Trick Worm, and Berkley PowerBait Power Worms are some popular choices for big bass.
Getting kids interested in fishing might be as easy as getting them a tackle box to get them away from their X-Boxes. The colors of lures and shiny stuff in the box can be intriguing to kids, and tying them on a line and seeing a fish grab a lure, worm, cricket, minnow, or any other bait gives them some action and holds their interest. Taking a kid fishing is an integral part of growing up and learning about conservation, and educating kids about nature and how people interact with it. Do yourself and your kids a favor and take them fishing. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Nov. 7-9 Report The Beaver Supermoon on Wednesday night provided a super bright, clear night sky. Perhaps it was good for anglers snook fishing or mangrove snapper, but overall, the bite was questionable for some anglers.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Calmer weather this week made for more options for getting offshore. Fish were caught in nearly all areas of near and offshore waters after coming off last week’s cool down from a mild cold front. This past Wednesday’s full moon produced some stronger currents offshore, and some anglers reported some anchoring challenges. Murky water in nearshore waters from the high winds last week and rough seas created an opportunity for cut bait anglers to drop a scent trail for bottom fish that proved successful. Leader-shy fish didn’t seem to mind the heavier tackle that was used, since turbidity aided in keeping the tackle stealthy.
Hogfish are being caught on the 10-hour trips onboard party boats out of Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass. Good action was seen from 50 to 70 feet of water, along with some lane snapper. Live shrimp have been the bait of choice for hogs. Mangrove and lane snappers bit well. A few legal-sized red grouper were caught, but getting out beyond 100 feet produced many more red grouper. Mutton, yellowtail, lane, vermilion, and mangrove snapper were caught. Deep water areas produced some pelagics such as blackfin tuna, the occasional wahoo, and dolphin (mahi). A flatline deployed while bottom fishing produces some nice kingfish right now. Triggerfish action has been steady.
Hubbard's Marina reports increasing action with hogfish as waters cool down.. Spanish mackerel have been actively feeding near shore and just off the beaches. Silver spoons like the Clark Spoon Squid, L.B. Huntington Drone Spoons, and flashy jigs trolled are catching good numbers of Spanish that have been holding around hard bottom areas. Those same areas where you’ll find stone crab traps are producing some tripletail on live shrimp.
This weekend is the 32nd Annual Old Salt Fall King of the Beach Tournament in Madeira Beach. The venue is located at 200 Rex Place at the Ball Field and is anticipating at least 500-boat team entries in the kingfish and Spanish mackerel divisions that will all vie for big bucks. Lines are in the water Saturday morning, and angler teams must be in the weigh-in line by 5 pm on Saturday.
INSHORE Snook fishing has been good with actively feeding fish around this full moon at mid-week. Good moving waters and higher afternoon/ evening tides that are falling out have been super productive for these ambush predators. Live shrimp, whitebait, and a variety of artificial lures like the topwater MirrOlure 94MR18 Top Dog, 17MR18 MirrOdine.
Redfish have been scattered. Last week’s cold front could be the reason, but with the upcoming cold front that will be much cooler, I’d bet these fish will seek some areas that are sheltered from the wind with direct exposure to sunshine early in the day. Skinny water areas with a dark mud bottom will heat more quickly, and when water temperatures plummet overnight, these areas will be the most productive for fish that will eat on the rising water temperatures. Live shrimp or Saltwater Berkley PowerBait Power Switch Shrimp have been productive.
Flounder are being caught more frequently now, with passes and areas with good water flow being the most productive. Sandy bottoms are prime areas, but shell, sparse grass, and potholes are all areas to look for flounder. Flounder are tolerant of cold weather, just as sheepshead are. Sheepshead have been flooding the flats recently and are being caught more regularly by anglers fishing small live shrimp, fiddler crabs, and mud minnows.
Capt. Ray Markham with a trout caught on a MirrOlure Lil' John while fishing the Manatee River. Trout fishing will get better by the week as north winds create negative low tides by blowing water out of the bays. Deep potholes and channels that are adjacent to grass flats will hold good numbers of trout. Tandem rigged jig rigs like the DOA Deadly Tandem with two jigs will give plenty of opportunities for competitive fish feeding, allowing for double hook-ups. This can make for quick limits of fish for anglers looking to take a few fish home for a family fish fry. Lower Tampa Bay's hard bottom has been a great location for catching some black seabass. These fish have pure white fillets with a mild flavor. Their 10-inch minimum size may have you sorting through a few or taking several if fish sandwiches are on your menu at home.
Spanish mackerel are showing up in schools and feeding on bait schools around the Skyway Bridges and fishing piers, as well as the Gulf fishing piers at Fort Desoto and down at Anna Maria. Schools of these fish will also hang around passes, especially on an outgoing tide that will flush baitfish into the Gulf. Flashy jigs cast far and retrieved quickly will get their attention and give some quick action from these speedy fish. These fish can spoil quickly with their oily meat, but bleeding the fish and putting them in a cooler with an icy slurry with some sea water will lower the temperature and keep them fresher than just throwing a fresh-caught fish on the ice.
A client of Capt. Angie Douthit of Okeechobee holds a big bass. (Courtesy of Capt. Angie Douthit) FRESHWATER For anglers looking for some good action in freshwater fishing, panfish like crappies and bass are beginning to find spots where they will make their beds for spawning. These fish will fan out areas in the shallows that appear to be a small white pothole. Females will lay their eggs, and large males will guard the nest, attempting to keep bluegill and other predators from taking their eggs. Roadrunners with their flashy underspin blades attract bass for some good action. The cooler days ahead will make those bladed jigs shine. The Original Z-Man Chatterbait started the rave of this style lure, but since then, the Z-Man Jack Hammer has taken the bass circuit by storm. Other popular brands include the Strike King Thunder Cricket, Spro Cover Jumper, V&M’s Bade Jig, and Picasso, with some of their bladed jigs. There are many other popular brands in this category of lure as well. Crappie anglers tend to favor big brands like jigs from T.T.I. Blakemore, as well as some other popular brands from Bobby Garland, Bass Assassin, Bass Pro Shops, and more.
Captain Angie Douthit suggests getting the kids together and getting on the water for a fun-filled day catching some fish on Lake Okeechobee. Water levels are down a bit, but the catching has been fantastic. Big bass and stringers of crappie have been the order of the day. Captain Douthit may be reached through her website at www.SouthFloridaBassFishing.com.
Whether it’s a day searching for some fish for dinner or catch-and-release fishing, a day with the family on the water will make memories, so bring the camera and have fun! ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Oct. 31-Nov. 2 Report Big changes are on the horizon over the next several days and into the weekend, with evening air temperatures falling into the mid-50s with pleasant temperatures during the daytime hours. Breezy conditions will exist as we head into the weekend, potentially keeping offshore anglers at the dock. This will make for a radical drop in water temperature as much as 8 to 10 degrees in some areas of inshore waters, increasing the movement of fish that are in transition.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE It’s game on for kingfish right now as the past week’s weather in the Panhandle cooled things off, sending migrating king and Spanish mackerel south in droves. The lighter winds for a portion of this week have allowed anglers trolling for kings to haul in some real smokers that will typically be found in deepwater wrecks and structures with early-arriving kings. But they have been caught just about everywhere, from the beaches to the west. Anglers trolling some local hardware in the L & S Bait Company name are catching some of the largest kings on the beaches and nearshore artificial reefs using L.B. Huntington Drone Spoons in the # 3 ½ size.
L.B. Huntington Drone Spoons The S/GRFS and S/BLFS colors with the green or blue prisim colored tape have been deadly on both schoolie-size kings as well as a few topping 30 pounds. Next week’s 32nd Annual Fall King of the Beach Tournament should be a hotly contested tournament with some big schools of kings and Spanish mackerel being pushed south from this cold front. The competition will be king and the money is huge for the tournament to be held at 200 Rex Place in Madeira Beach, Nov. 6-8. For details and registration information, click here. https://oldsaltfishing.org/fishing-tournaments/fall-king-of-the-beach-kingfish-tournament/
Spanish mackerel are terrific light tackle targets. Finding kingfish might be as easy as concentrating on hard-bottom areas by locating stone crab trap floats that mark where crabbers drop their traps. They will normally be found on rocky, hard bottom. This is the same kind of bottom you might find grouper or kingfish, as these locations will also hold a plethora of food in the way of bait schools or other marine organisms.
Wahoo and blackfin tuna are a possibility in the catch. Most have been caught in deeper water beyond 140 feet. Anglers continue to catch plenty of mangrove snapper. Mutton snapper have been caught on some of Hubbard’s party boat trips. They aren’t a regular catch, but they have been caught frequently enough in recent months that they might always be a welcome surprise. Yellowtail snappers have become more frequent catches as well and have been in good numbers.
Red grouper continue to be a regular catch on most trips offshore beyond about 90 to 100 feet. Live pinfish, cut squid, sardines, and threadfins have been producing some nice catches of fish.
Spawing sized redfish are in now through about November. This one caught by clients fishing with Capt. Mike Anderson of Reel Animals Fishing. INSHORE With changes in the weather, the bite inshore has been crazy one minute and dead the next. This is not unusual when rapid changes in barometric pressure, water temperature, wind velocity, and direction move quickly into an area with passing cold fronts. Those beautiful, clear blue skies that show up right after the passing of a front can be like the kiss of death to feeding fish for a while, as high pressure moves into an area. This lull may only last for a day or so, but for sure, it can produce the kind of day that’s a real grind while trying to catch fish that just don’t want to chew. But that’s fishing. With that said, some of the best days of fishing I have ever experienced have been the hours just before a front arrives wherever I am fishing.
Big trout, those over about 22 inches, seem to be localized. They may seek certain areas for water flow, bait presence, bottom structure, depth, or a combination of any of these things. Reports over the past week from anglers showed specific areas that have been holding these larger fish. Bunces Pass at Fort Desoto has had some gator trout measuring from 22 to 26 inches. While most were reported being caught on whitebait, anglers tossing the MirrOlure 17MR and 27MR MirrOdines have produced good numbers of fish with quite a few over slots. The Dunedin and St. Joseph’s Sound area has been seeing good action with live shrimp for snook, trout, and redfish. The passes have had some legal flounder caught as well, and good numbers of Spanish mackerel to 4 pounds.
Redfish schooling action has been pretty good, but the current cold front may find these fish more scattered than before the front. Good action has been reported along the mouth of the Little Manatee and Manatee Rivers, in Joe Bay, Bishop’s Harbor, and Cockroach Bay. Old Tampa Bay has also seen some good action, as well as the Weedon Island area. Cut ladyfish, pinfish, and mullet have been productive on the higher tides around the mangroves in each of these areas. DOA Shrimp and Paul Brown Lures have all been productive. Grassy areas with jumping mullet have been productive for topwaters like the MirrOlure 84MR Top Dog Jr. and the weedless Eppinger Rex gold Spoon.
The final month of snook season is just ahead before the December 1st closure. Fish have been on a steady move in the latter part of this week, heading into creeks, up rivers, and into deeper areas of backcountry waters with mud bottoms. Almost any snook will chew right now as they gorge themselves to put on insulative body fat for the winter. Live shrimp or a 3-inch DOA Shrimp are prime for these hungry fish right now. The full moon next week, on November 5th, will make for some moving water that will be ideal for drifting a shrimp around ambush points.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MULLET SMOKE-OFF Do you smoke mullet? This Saturday, Parrish, Florida, will host some big doin's for mullet smokers at Gulley's 12255 US 301, Parrish, FL. You can set your smoker up the day before or at 6 am. Saturday. Judging will be at 1 p.m. Smoked mullet, mullet spread, and backbone divisions will all see some stiff competition. All entries to be turned in at 1 p.m. Mullet head Cornhole will start at 1:30 p.m. while judges put the final tasting to the test. Prices for contestants to enter are $25 Mullet Division, $10.00 for the spread and backbone divisions. There is also a side bet for the highest placer in the mullet division. What to bring? BYOB, chairs, and CASH. There will be cold or hot smoked mullet for sale. Judges will note what they are looking for in an award-winning smoked mullet, and this will be read at an 8 a.m. meeting for contestants. Admission is FREE with FREE parking and beautiful weather. Come on out and treat your taste buds to some of the best smoked mullet you'll ever put in your mouth.
FRESHWATER Capt. Angie Douthit of www.southfloridabassfishing.com says the bass and crappie are getting ready to begin their spawning from now through April down on the Big O (Lake Okeechobee). Anglers are booking trips to get the best fishing dates available, and Douthit encourages anglers who are interested to call and book as soon as possible, as the best dates will go first. Book your trip on Lake Okeechobee today. Angie's Cell: 863-228-7263 (call or text). Email: adouthit49@gmail.com.
Bring the family for a fun long weekend or vacation. Capt. Douthit can arrange discounted accommodations to stretch your dollar and send you to some phenomenal restaurants that will cook your catch. Be prepared to make some memories and take some pictures for the fishing trip of a lifetime that you’ll want to share with family and friends. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Oct. 24-26 Report A cold front is due to move through the region on Friday with some cooler weather, but nothing too extreme. We might see a little more wind than we have earlier in the week, but another water temperature drop should be expected in nearshore and inshore areas.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Some nice red and scamp grouper were caught between 100 and 120-feet of water. Triggerfish, mangrove, vermilion, yellowtail, and mutton snapper, along with almaco jacks, porgies, and a few other species have been caught, according to Capt. Dylan Hubbard out at Hubbard’s Marina in Madeira Beach at John’s Pass. The 90-foot mark has been producing some nice lane snapper. Hogfish have been caught between 40 and 70-feet of water.
With the front moving down the state by Friday night, winds might make it tough to get offshore for some boaters. It may give the nearshore anglers a shot at some hogfish, tripletail, kingfish, Spanish mackerel and a few others if they can get out.
Another tasty scamp grouper for one of Capt. Brian Morgan's anglers fishing out of Marine Max in S. Pasadena, Fl. INSHORE The scene inshore has been on fire! Snook are on the rampage to put on body fat to sustain themselves throughout the cold winter months. Bait schools are plentiful and are just about everywhere on the flats. But with winter months ahead and cold fronts they won’t be available for too much longer. So, what do you use for bait to catch these fish? If you’re a live bait angler or use natural bait, cut ladyfish, mullet, and pinfish are your go-to natural baits for fish that are somewhere between lethargic and gung-ho about eating. The more aggressive fish will chew most any live bait presented in a natural way. This brings me to artificial lures for bait. Those aggressive fish wanting to chase and chew will not hesitate to eat a healthy-looking shad style body like either the MirrOlure Marsh Minnow Jr. or the CAL shad. Both resemble killifish or many of the other small baitfish in backcountry waters, rivers, and creeks. But for the lazy fish, cut baits mentioned before are tops for not only those just wanting to pork out but also the big lazy fish that do the same all the time.
Not only are the inshore fish in the transition, but baitfish are as well. Somewhere between hanging on the remaining heat of the shallow flats at about 77 to 80 degrees but also feeling the dip in temperature of the next cold front. Those fronts as well as the dwindling hours of daylight will accomplish the task of falling water temperatures. For all who attest that the change in patterns are caused by either water temperature or the hours of available daylight, hear this…they are related! One affects the other. However, you want to think of it, fish are responding to the changes and that will affect where they move to and when they will move.
Capt. Ray Markham with a slot redfish and Erin, Fisherie's biologist with Florida Marine Research Institute, doing some field research. Possibly the most temperature-sensitive fish in our waters are snook. They will continue to feed regularly and very heavily until water temperatures hit the mid-to lower 60’s. Beyond that, their metabolism slows and the feeding response wains, making them much more difficult to catch. This is when the shift from their preference of baitfish moves toward shrimp. My personal choices move from shad-style lures such as the CAL Shad or MirrOlure Marsh Minnow Jr. is to the 3-inch DOA Shrimp. It has been my late fall- winter choice now for almost 30 years. But it's not just for snook. All inshore species of fish will eat a shrimp and regardless of their temperature tolerance in any season, the majority of fish that live in our waters will eat shrimp.
Trout, especially larger trout above the 20-inch class will tend to move to the shallows when the heat is on. These larger trout also consider their safety from predators like sharks, dolphins, and ospreys. Potholes or swash channels around mangrove islands and oyster bars are some excellent areas for them to feed, but also, usually a quick escape route off to a channel nearby. Consider that when you are looking to catch some trout for the table.
The cooler months of the year also offer some of the lowest tides of the year. Some folks think of it as a difficult time to navigate skinny waters, but to others, who have made the effort to try and fish these shallow conditions, they will find that fishing and catching are much easier. These super low tides will consolidate fish into potholes and along channel edges that may only be fishable by anglers with the skinniest drafting boats, like canoes, Jon boats, specialty light-weight skiffs, and kayaks or anglers who are wade fishing. These conditions will remain until spring when the cold fronts cease to blow out of a northerly component, forcing tides well into the negative zones.
Redfish will continue to be actively schooling over the next couple of months, looking to begin their spawning rituals before heading back into the Gulf. Most of the breeders are much larger fish than those we typically catch on the flats, and are usually well-above the upper slot size. Lures such as gold Eppinger Rex weedless spoons are my go-to for a hard flashy lure, but soft plastics such as the MirrOlure Lil’ John perfectly imitate a tube worm, a favorite forage for reds on the flats. While some anglers prefer a ¼ or 3/8 oz. jig head on this lure, I like a 1/8 or 1/16 oz. jig head, allowing the lure to dart and slowly fall to the bottom with the jig head down and tail up, imitating a tube worm that is coming out of the bottom on a mud flat. A variety of colors make for great imitations. Because redfish are both bottom feeders and prefer crustaceans, shrimp, crabs, and marine worms are their forage of choice. Again, the DOA 3-inch Shrimp is my go-to for spooky redfish that are laid up on a shallow mud bank sunning themselves and waiting to get warm and feed.
Flounder will remain closed throughout the month of November, but their numbers will increase over the next several months on nearshore artificial reefs and around passes and shoals where there is good water movement. Jigs that are worked slowly along the bottom will get their share of these tasty fish, but you’ll have to wait until December 1 to possess flounder when the season reopens. Sweetening your offering with a bit of fresh shrimp will always enhance the bite.
FRESHWATER Crappie fishing is getting better by the week. These fish thrive in cold weather and will be schooling up later this year and the beginning of next year to spawn. Larger schools and fatter fish make them top targets on the board when it comes to freshwater cuisine. Walleye, speckled perch, and a few others are prized catches for the table. Specks, aka. Speckled perch, or crappie, are delicious on the table with their mild white fillets. Add them to your next fish fry with a bass or freshwater catfish for a real treat, along with some hush puppies, coleslaw, and cheese grits. Don’t forget to invite friends over to celebrate your catch. I’m available at (941) 228-3474. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Oct. 17-19 Report The weekend ahead will see tides beginning to pick up as we get closer to next Tuesday's new moon on the 21st. Flounder closed this past Wednesday, October 15th. The closure will end at 12:01 a.m. December 1st. Calming winds will be welcome this week, allowing a little more travel on the waters without rough seas. Still, there may be some turbidity that might affect the bite. Cut baits might have a leg up on live baits by letting the scent trail attract the fish to the bait.
OFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Stone crab season reopened on the 15th, and that means that the Gulf nearshore waters may look a little like an obstacle course with all the floats from the traps positioned over hard bottom areas where stone crabs are likely to be. These traps attract all sorts of marine life, from baitfish to shrimp and more. Tripletail catches will begin to improve over the coming weeks as these fish begin to take up temporary homes around the traps, floats, and lines attached to the traps. Live shrimp will be a top natural bait for tripletail. Suspending them under a cork and floating them by traps and flotsam has been an effective method of catching them.
Capt. Steve Papen of Fintastic Fishing Charters and crew were winners of past King of the Beach Tournaments. Last weekend’s cool front was mild, but you could feel the change in the air with less humidity. Migrating kingfish and Spanish mackerel could be prompted to move, but with the front being so mild, we might not see a big push of fish yet; however, the Spanish mackerel are already here in force. Kingfish tournaments are coming up soon, and anglers are preparing by changing lines, servicing reels, and getting things on the boat ready to battle with the kings. The 32nd Annual Old Salt Fall King of the Beach is a mere 3 weeks away, scheduled November 6-8 at 200 Rex Place in Madeira Beach. After last year’s hurricanes that forced the Spring King of the Beach venue to be moved, the Madeira Beach Ballfield is back in shape for the big-money fall tournament. For details on the tournament and entry, go to the Old Salt website at www.oldsaltfishing.org. I have a feeling, based on the size of the Spanish mackerel we’ve seen caught lately, that there will be some records broken in the Spanish mackerel division this fall. The bays are loaded with mackerel, and some are pushing 5 or 6 pounds.
Gulf waters have slowly been clearing from the weeks of high winds and a cold front. This week, the winds have died down, and anglers are finally getting offshore after a long stint at the docks. Clean water is what fish will enjoy, and fishing will be enhanced the cleaner the water gets. Keeping an eye on the weather forecasts will give you a clue when to find some time to get offshore. Brief openings with clear weather are the keys to some banner catches for fish that have been hunkering down on structure. They will move away from the protection of structures once the seas calm and feed voraciously.
Red grouper, mangrove snapper, mutton snappers, yellowtails, scamp grouper, and some pelagics were very active before this past front. They will resume as we get closer to the new moon on the 21st.
Look for the hogfish bite to continue improving as the water cools and fish move closer to shore. Lane snapper will also chew with the calming seas.
As we approach the weekend, the Gulf water temperature at Egmont Key has been running around 80 degrees, but with an incoming front possibility by the beginning of next week, we could see that temperature drop a few degrees to the mid-70s. That will put us just about on the verge of prime water temperature for a multitude of species, including kingfish.
Madeline Rousseau with a trout caught on a DOA Deadly Combo. INSHORE Flounder closed this week until December 1st. Leading up to the closure, there were some good reports of anglers catching some flatties around the passes, in sandy potholes, and around the channel edges. The past week, despite some windy days, fish in the inshore scene were chewing hard. Snook have been caught on artificial lures like CAL Jigs with Shad tails and MirrOlure Marsh Minnow Jr., and on topwaters like the Heddon Super Spook Jr., Rapala Skitterwalk, and MirrOlure Top Dog. As we start getting cold fronts, expect falling water temperatures to make artificial shrimp like the DOA Shrimp the go-to lure for inshore species.
Quite a few larger trout in the mid-20-inch range are being caught to the north around the spoil islands in the ICW from Clearwater to Dunedin. Over-slot trout have also been caught down in Sarasota Bay on DOA Deadly Combos. Some areas produced smaller speckled trout, but the most productive areas for slot-sized trout were near passes close to the Gulf, from Sarasota north to Hernando Beach. MirrOlure TTR26 and 17MR18 lures have been super productive in these areas.
Pompano action was reported in the Dunedin area by anglers using Doc’s Goofy Jigs. Yellow was the top-producing color with a pink teaser attached. Fish have been in the 2-to 3-pound size range.
Panfish like bluegill, stumpknockers, redears, and others are suckers for flies like this one caught by anglers of the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers in Sarasota. Lake Manatee is a hotspot for them. FRESHWATER Bass fishing has been good on Lake Manatee for bass and shellcrackers. Anglers tossing Roadrunner Bucktail Pro lures for the bass have produced some nice stringers along with some speckled perch, bream, and shellcrackers on grass shrimp and crappie jigs. The timing is perfect for action on most lakes and rivers. Young anglers thrive when the action is steady, making this a great time to get the kids on the water fishing. ‘Til then, I’ll catch ya later!
CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed Fly-Fishing School-Tues, Oct 28 & Sat, Nov 22, 2025 CB’s Saltwater Outfitters, 1249 Stickney Point Rd, Sarasota, Florida, will hold Orvis-Endorsed fly-fishing schools on Tues, Oct 28 & Sat, Nov 22, 2025. The course, designed for beginning and intermediate fly casters, will focus on basic fly-casting principles, improving casting skills, and correcting faults. Certified Instructor, Capt. Rick Grassett will also cover saltwater fly-fishing techniques, leader construction, and fly selection. Cost for the class, which will run from 8:30 AM to approximately noon, is $225 per person and includes the use of fly tackle and a workbook. Optional instructional guided fly-fishing trips are also available for an additional fee. Contact CB’s Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or info@cbsoutfitters.com to make reservations.
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Oct. 10-12 Report This past week, with last Tuesday’s full moon, has really stirred up the pot. Continued windy weather has wreaked havoc with offshore anglers looking to get out, but they have had to sit at the dock as small craft warning flags flew. Inshore, it was a slightly different story for some who had access to areas with shelter from the wind. Because of the varying winds and a changeable barometer, fish chewed in some areas, with reckless abandon, and in others not so much.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Capt. Dylan Hubbard out of Hubbard’s Marina in Madeira Beach reported some excellent catches on their party boats of lane snapper in 60-to 100-feet of water, along with some good action with mangrove snapper as well. Red grouper have been showing up, with the larger fish coming from the deepest depths worked on their 10-hour trips. Mahi will occasionally show up behind the boat, adding to the excitement of the day. Nearshore waters continue to produce a few hogfish.
In depths ranging from 120-180 feet, larger red groupers are being caught, and beyond those depth,s a few nice scamp groupers are caught.
The long-range trips produce a good variety of fish, including vermilion snapper, porgies, almaco jacks, as well as a few pelagics like tuna kingfish, and occasionally wahoo.
Nearshore party boats out of Hubbard's Marina at John's Pass continue to put hogfish on ice. INSHORE Breezy days have not kept the fish from chewing. Some better-than-normal action has been seen in the entire region for snook as the barometric pressure has been fluctuating quite a bit. Snook continue to be in transition with cooler weather on the way over the next few months. These fish have moved off the beaches for the most part, but some remain in the deep passes, while others head inside, staging up on points and in bends in rivers and creeks. Most rivers will see a good number of fish near the mouths before these fish move upriver toward headwaters.
Redfish have been around much of the region, with some larger fish showing in some areas, but overall, fish have been somewhat scattered, with some of the larger fish following schools of big mullet. Look for big jumping mullet for some of the largest reds. Gold spoons like the weedless Eppinger Rex or Johnson’s Silver Minnow have been productive. Jigs will take most species we fish for inshore. The CAL 3” Shad and MirrOlure Marsh Minnow Jr. have been my go-to soft plastic shad-style bodies rigged on ¼ oz. jig heads.
Trout fishing has been steady, with a few larger fish appearing in multiple areas. The South Shore of Tampa Bay on south to Terra Ceia and Sarasota Bays, has produced some low-to mid-20-inch fish. From Dunedin north to Anclote Key, anglers have been catching good numbers of trout on live shrimp under popping corks and the DOA Deadly Combo.
A few reports of pompano have been logged this week around the Dunedin area by anglers fishing Doc’s Goofy Jigs near the passes and around sand bars in the ICW.
The passes up and down the coast are giving up some flounder. Shrimp-tipped heavier jigs dragged on the bottom are producing good catches of these fish, but most any jigs worked slowly along the bottom will produce some flatties if they are there.
Nice snook! FRESHWATER Changing seasons have made for some cooler waters and more invigorated bass and panfish in area lakes, ponds, and rivers. Spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, and crankbaits have all been productive when fished in the right depths around structure and vegetation. Still, a top-producer for bass is the Senko worm.
Take some time to get the kids on the boat or to fish an area retention pond. It’s good that they get addicted to the outdoors and away from the phones and X-boxes because the tug is the drug, and fishing is a healthy sport. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Oct. 4 Report Cooler and breezy conditions have moved into the Suncoast for the weekend. Strong winds over the past week have created some unsafe conditions on the water for many anglers. It’s a good time to check your tackle, change lines, get reels serviced, and make sure everything is in good working order. Kingfish season is on its way, and drags will be getting a workout. Don’t wait until the last minute.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE This has been a tough week for offshore anglers looking to get out. Reports are few and far between. When those able to pull it off and get out between 180 and 200 feet, they’re catching a few nice scamp groupers. Greater Amberjacks closed last week, narrowing the number of species available to take. Triggerfish are still in the catch for some working in depths usually beyond 100 feet of water in the Gulf. Recreational anglers can continue catching American red snapper on the weekends through the end of the year, as well as on some holidays. Refer to myfwc.com for details.
Pelagics should be firing up pretty soon. The cooler weather can get these fish moving. Mahi were fairly active until recently, but a few continue to be caught. Blackfin tunas and an occasional wahoo could be in the mix. Kingfish will be on the move with these fronts beginning to filter south. Deepwater wrecks might be the top spots right now for them. Spanish mackerel are being caught in nearshore waters along the beaches when there is clean water. East winds can help lay the seas down to make for calm waters that will help clear the water after several days of persistent easterlies. Fish will move closer to shore, where they will find bait schools more readily available.
Triggerfish are being caught aboard the party boats out of Hubbard's Marina. INSHORE Leading off this week, anglers were finding good numbers of Spanish mackerel off the beaches between Sarasota and Clearwater. The Ship’s Channel leading in from Egmont Key all the way to Port Manatee has been holding mackerel. Flashy spoons and jigs are catching these fish when lures are trolled or reeled quickly. Cobia have been caught inside Tampa Bay around the range and channel markers. Tripletail are beginning to show up around the swim buoys and channel markers.
Stone crab season will reopen on the 15th of the month, but traps will go in the water a few days ahead of the first pull of the traps when the season opens. Tripletail like to hang around these traps. Any kind of floating debris will hold these fish. Many times, they will be caught nearly all the way up inside the bay to the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
Trout fishing has been excellent down in Sarasota Bay, Terra Ceia, and Joe Bay. Good numbers of fish are being caught on DOA Deadly Combos as well as the DOA Deadly Tandem Jig rigs. Many doubles are caught on the tandem rig when the lures are retrieved slowly. Deep holes will hold some big trout and many slow-sinking lures, such as the TTR26 MirrOlure, are excellent for these fish in the 5 to 7-foot depth range.
Redfish action has been progressively picking up over the past several weeks, with greater numbers of larger reds showing up inside our estuaries. Look for them to move inside the bays during periods of foul weather, in search of some mullet schools where they will run together. Some hot lures for them now have been the MirrOlure MirrOdine, the Eppinger gold Rex Spoon, and, for some fun surface action, the 7MRS MirrOlure.
Flounder catches are increasing in numbers and sizes of fish. These fish will be showing in greater numbers throughout the winter; however, you have until October 15th when a brief closure begins and runs through November 30th. These fish have slowly been making a comeback over the past 5 years or so, following the string of years of red tide. The top bait for these might be a shrimp-tipped quarter-ounce jig fished slowly along the bottom in passes, cuts, and around sandy bottom areas with changes. Those changes can be depth changes, bottom makeup changes, and areas where grass meets shell or sand. This gives these fish a myriad of areas to camouflage themselves by lying on the bottom and assuming the coloration of whatever the bottom looks like. Maintaining contact with the bottom is key to catching these tasty fish.
Ritch Henderson (L) with father Mike with a couple of Tampa Bay flatties FRESHWATER Bass are getting active in the entire region. Lures such as the Chatterbait, spinnerbaits, and just about any kind of blade bait will work this time of year. Schooling fish will actively chase down crankbaits like the Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap.
Topwater lures with propellers will churn the surface, attracting these fish. Old favorites of mine are the Heddon Torpedo and Tiny Torpedo. Big bluegills are also known to strike these lures. Bass and panfish all love small poppers fished on a fly rod. They are a blast to fish for and watch the heart-stopping action as these fish hit the lures on the surface. It’s a great time of the year for action and getting youngsters involved in fishing. Steady action keeps them interested and always wanting to come back and do it again. ‘Til then…take a kid fishing, and I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Sept. 26-28 Report Tides will slow as we approach the moon’s first quarter on Monday, the 29th. Inshore anglers may find better moving water in areas with pinch points where bay openings are more constricted and narrower, increasing water movement. This will be especially good for catching ambush feeders like snook, flounder, and trout.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Anglers fishing on the party boats out of Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass in Madeira Beach have seen some improvement in action with hogfish in recent weeks. Capt. Hubbard says the cooler water temperatures are pushing these fish into shallower water depths than they were all summer. The all-day 10-hour and longer trips have been able to capitalize on the closer distances from shore to catch these fish. The top bait for hogfish has been live shrimp.
Fish are getting a little more active with slightly lower water temperatures. Red grouper continue to impress on long-range trips. Weekend anglers have been catching some fat red snapper on recreational vessels. Triggerfish, mangrove snappers, lane snapper, yellowtails, vermilion, mutton snappers, along with a decent pelagic bite with mahi mahi, kingfish, a few blackfin tuna, wahoo, sailfish, lately. Almaco jacks have been caught. Smaller ledges, rocks, and hard bottom hold a variety of fish, but for hogfish, sand bottom adjacent to small structures will hold these fish.
Nearshore party boats out of Hubbard's Marina at John's Pass continue to put hogfish on ice. INSHORE An increased chance of rain for the weekend may play a part in your fishing game plan. Some potential changes in the Caribbean add a potential for the development of a hurricane over the next week. Early preparations will save time later.
Anglers fishing inside bays continue to catch mangrove snapper. Sheepshead have been moving into the flats in some areas. Potholes and channel edges are holding trout on the dropping tides. Anglers tossing suspending baits like the 17MR MirrOdines from MirrOlure have been consistently producing fish. Topwater action early in the day has been good for anglers throwing the 94MR21 Top Dog from MirrOlure. Shallow-running DOA Baitbusters have been deadly in the shallows.
Pompano continue to pop up here and there. The Dunedin area has been consistently holding some of these fish, but they are quick to move around the area. Doc’s Goofy Jigs have been top producers in the area, with yellow or pink colors producing well. The new glow color is catching on as shops begin to bring in the new color.
Redfish have been a top catch for anglers fishing with Capt. Bucky Goldman recently. This nice red was caught in Old Tampa Bay. Flounder are showing up on some nearshore artificial reefs and around the passes. CAL Jigs with shad tail and MirrOlure Marsh Minnow Jr. jigs have been consistent producers. Maintaining contact with the bottom is the key to catching these fish.
Redfish have been active in the north end of Tampa Bay. Anglers fishing live or cut pinfish are doing well. Cut ladyfish have been a good producer for reds on high tides when fished up under the mangroves.
Pier anglers fishing from the Skyway Fishing Pier have been catching a variety of fish, including sheepshead, some fat Spanish mackerel to about 4 pounds, mangrove snapper, pompano, sharks, and jack crevalle.
FRESHWATER Lake Thonotosassa has some trophy-sized bass from 5 to 9 pounds along with a healthy panfish population, including bluegill and redear sunfish. Trophy-sized black crappie will also hold in large numbers on offshore structure or along the northern shoreline. Channel catfish are also abundant in Lake Thonotosassa. Chicken livers fished on the bottom or under a cork may be the top way to catch these fish. Lake Tarpon is rated as one of the top 10 best bass lakes in the state. Both the north and south ends of the lake have a good amount of vegetation that holds some big bass. Wild shiners, Texas-rigged plastic worms, lipless crankbaits such as the Rat-L-Trap, and spinnerbaits will all be effective. There are numerous small lakes in the West Central Region that hold panfish, bass, catfish, and more. A small jon boat with a small outboard or trolling motor is all you need to get on one of the lakes to fish. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Sept. 19-21 Report This coming Sunday’s new moon will have influences on fish this weekend with some strong tides. Focus inshore might be for snook as many of these fish prepare for a transition into backcountry areas, creeks, and rivers. Offshore anglers might target greater amberjacks or some pelagics if the weather cooperates.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Gag grouper and federally permitted vessels targeting red snapper closed quietly last Sunday. Red snapper for private recreational anglers will be reopening on weekends and on holidays until the end of the year. Florida’s 2025 Gulf private recreational red snapper season is open to those fishing from private recreational vessels or charter vessels that do not have a federal reef fish permit. Charter vessels without a federal reef fish permit will be limited to harvesting in Florida Gulf state waters only. The private recreational season will include the following dates: Sept. 1-14, Sept. 19-21, Sept. 26-28, Oct. 3-5, Oct. 10-12, Oct. 17-19, Oct. 24-26, Oct. 31-Nov. 2, Nov. 7-9, plus 11, (Veterans Day), Nov. 14-16, Nov. 21-23, Nov. 27-30 (Thanksgiving weekend), Dec. 5-7, Dec. 12-14, Dec. 19-21, and Dec. 25-28 (Christmas weekend).
Reports on the Gulf of America vary depending on the depth fished. Several reports agree that hogfish action has slowly been on the rise inside 100-feet of water along the coast. Most will also agree that this fishery improves as the water cools down. Anglers extending their range out to 185-feet found a variety of snappers, including vermilion, mangrove, and lane snappers. A few nice scamp grouper are also caught in that range.
Fun for the kids. Mahi mahi have been caught around areas where some flotsam is found. Weedlines, floating objects, and other debris that will hold bait will also attract these dolphin. Some have been smaller chicken dolphin, but there have been a few bulls caught as well. Most have been caught beyond 100-feet but still a few have been caught as shallow as 45-feet of water west of Pinellas and Manatee shores. Capt. Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard’s Marina suggests keeping flat lines and pitch rods ready for sailfish, kingfish, wahoo, tuna, and mahi mahi. Kingfish are still holding to the north but a few schools of Spanish mackerel are moving south and have been noted off Tarpon Springs and Anna Maria.
Redfish have been the stars for anglers fishing with Capt. Bucky Goldman in Old Tampa Bay. Redfish fishing is on the upswing. INSHORE Redfish action has been on the rise lately with water temperatures hovering in the low 80’s and dropping further as rainstorms pass. The South Shore of Tampa Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Weedon Island, and Palma Sola Bay have been seeing some good action in these areas. Trout fishing continues to be good in portions of Sarasota Bay. The east side of Jewfish Key just inside Longboat Pass has been holding trout on the deeper portions of the flats in 3-to 5 feet of water. Anglers throwing TTR26 MirrOlures have been catching good numbers of trout in the slot. Emerson Point just outside Terra Ceia Bay has been productive for trout caught on DOA Deadly Combos and CAL jigs with Shad tails. Mangrove snapper are also being caught on some of the patches of hard bottom in the area along with some late season tarpon. Tarpon have been caught on MirrOlure Catch 2000’s and DOA Trolling Model Baitbusters. The early morning bite for tarpon has been good in front of Rattlesnake Key at sunrise.
Patches of hard bottom in lower Tampa Bay south of the Skyway are holding mangrove snapper, trout, and black seabass. A few mackerel have been caught at times along with some bluefish and pompano, closer to the Skyway for anglers tossing Doc’s Goofy Jigs and DOA TerrorEyz.
The north end of our region from Dunedin to Hernando has been consistently producing some slot snook, school-sized redfish, and good numbers of trout. Live shrimp have been a top natural bait here.
FRESHWATER Bass fishing with fly rods in Lake Manatee has been a blast for anglers fishing poppers and small hair flies like the Clouser Minnow. The topwater action has been best before 8 a.m. around the lake’s perimeter and on the south side of SR 64.
For panfish and crappie anglers, look for the next few months to steadily improve with good stringers of fish being caught in the entire region. It’s a great time to get out and practice casting a fly rod. Several fly clubs in the region will teach the basics with members ranging from newbies to professional anglers. Tampa, St. Pete., and Sarasota all have clubs for both the young, old, and everyone in between. Take the kids with you. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Sept. 12-14 Report Stormy weather for much of the week has once again limited anglers’ ability to get on the water safely. Heavy thunderstorms with a lot of lightning have plagued our region for the past month or so. With weather predictions being somewhat unreliable, it can be difficult to predict a good day to be on the water.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Captains running the party boats out of Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass in Madeira Beach reported excellent action from their long-range trips, yielding some big gag grouper in 140 feet of water and beyond, as well as good numbers of a variety of snappers. The brief gag season closes on Sunday night at midnight. Triggerfish, porgies, cobia, mahi mahi, some blackfin tuna, sailfish, wahoo, and many other species have been caught on recent trips in the Gulf of America.
Nearshore from 60 to 100 feet of water is holding some hogfish. While it’s not quite “on yet”, says Captain Dylan Hubbard, the bite is there, and it appears that we could have a little earlier shallow hogfish bite than normal because of the cooler waters closer to shore due to the heavy rains. The 12-hour Extreme trips have also been very productive for gag grouper; however, the largest fish are coming from greater depths beyond 140 feet of water.
Areas to the north around Hernando and Citrus Counties have reported some Spanish mackerel action, as well as some schools down south at Boca Grande. This mirrors some of the new arrivals of mackerel inside Tampa Bay, where anglers are finding some skinny Spanish mackerel working the bait pods. These newly arriving mackerel will move distances without stopping to feed unless there are large schools of bait to feed on. Major estuaries, like Tampa Bay, and large passes that empty into the Gulf, traditionally hold quantities of baitfish in early fall prior to these baitfish schools moving into the Gulf as cold fronts move south. We have yet to see any cold fronts, but a temperature drop in the shallows nearshore has brought some fish south early. Kingfish are found on occasion on deeper wrecks right now, but the consistency is not there. When water temperatures fall into the mid-to low 70s, look for the onslaught of both Spanish and king mackerel to arrive.
Amberjacks have been caught recently and have been pretty prolific out beyond 120 feet around springs and wrecks or any kind of structure with high relief.
INSHORE There have been a few reports from anglers making some quick trips on the bays to get in some fishing between rain showers and thunderstorms. Trout fishing has been consistent in the entire region, with a few hot spots having some larger fish being caught. The area north of Long Bar and south of Sister’s Key in Sarasota Bay has held some upper and over-slot trout. Topwater action has been good here with lures like the MirrOlure 94MR18 Top Dog catching some whopper trout. Rapala Skitterwalks and the Heddon Super Spook Jr. have also been producing some great catches of specks.
Several areas along the coast have been producing catches of pompano. To the south, Big Sarasota Pass has seen a few pomps being caught on DOA TerrorEyz in the root beer/ gold glitter color. The Pass-A-Grille Channel on the north end of Shell Key has seen some pompano action as well as Clearwater and Dunedin Passes. Doc’s Goofy Jigs have been the ticket to some fabulous pompano fillets in those areas. A new chartreuse/ glow color has been very effective for these jigs with the attached teasers.
We are seeing some brief flurries with redfish schools showing. Nothing has been consistent with them yet in most areas, but just about any time, these fish will begin showing in better numbers of bigger fish. Some of the best catches are coming on flashy lures like the gold Eppinger Rex Weedless spoon and the MirrOlure CS18MR-Pin Skin Series Pro model. The Classic 32M Scaled Sardine from MirrOlure has also been very productive.
Snook season continues with good action around area bridges and docks. As we get away from last Sunday’s full moon and head to the quarter moon, the bridge fenders and lighted docks will produce more fish at night. Red Tail Hawk jigs are producing well in the passes along with the Trolling Model DOA Baitbuster. Spawning for these fish could be finished, but snook have been known to extend the spawn through either the full or new moon in September.
FRESHWATER A new soft bait has just begun showing up on the bass scene with some very impressive results. From Q8, the new Hybralive worms have been crushing the bass. The Florida company, Aqua Nutrition, produces saltwater soft lures called Q8 Super Bait that are scented and flavored and extremely effective for all saltwater fish. Now, the new line of freshwater soft baits called Q8 Hybralive are destined to make some waves in the freshwater market. Based on preliminary data, your freshwater bass-catching just got easier. The new product should start showing up online and in stores soon. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Sept. 5-7 Report Several opportunities are in store for private recreational anglers beginning September 1 for both inshore and offshore. Good moving water with the upcoming full moon will put fish on the move inshore. Some offshore species will be migrating south, while others prepare for a transitional period to get ready for cooler months ahead.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE The full moon this Sunday, the 7th, should get some fish moving as we slowly transition into fall weather. A few signs of a fall migration are beginning with some Spanish mackerel being caught inside the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. These fish have been very skinny, showing signs of fish in a migratory mode. While fish may stop briefly to feed, when they are traveling, unless the food source is available where they are, they don’t usually go looking for it. With water temperatures still warm in the bays, bait will stay until cold fronts put a chill in the water. The first cold fronts in the Panhandle will move these fish and their larger cousins, the kingfish, south in waves, and it’s just a matter of time before our region will be covered up with both Spanish and kings.
Anglers looking to bag some gag grouper when the season reopened on Labor Day had little problem finding them. Even anglers fishing around the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers and up inside Tampa Bay hit some nice gags, but some real monsters were caught by anglers fishing beyond 140 feet of water in the Gulf. Anglers will want to hurry if they plan to take advantage of bringing home a couple of gags as the brief season ends September 14th at midnight.
The bite there and beyond has been insane with a multitude of species and some big fish. Mahi mahi, blackfin tuna, a few wahoo, triggerfish, porgies, red snapper, mangrove, lane, and vermilion snappers have all been caught and more. Greater amberjack also reopened on September 1st, but the action with these fish has been overshadowed by gags and red snapper. No doubt, catch reports will follow. Greater amberjack will close again on October 31st in Gulf state and federal waters.
Photo courtesy Photo courtesy Capt. Ray Markham INSHORE With the reopening of snook September 1st through November 30th, anglers will be in a big hurry to find legal fish to take home during the first couple of weeks of the open season. More slot fish are usually caught during that time frame than in any other, due to initial light fishing pressure from the summer closure and growth.
Flounder catches have been on the rise for anglers fishing around passes and on the artificial reefs. October 15th will see a closure on these fish that runs through November 30th. Anglers have been catching these fish on CAL Jigs with Shad tails. These fish are ambush feeders and lie on the bottom, camouflaged by sand, shell, and whatever else is on the bottom. Their ability to change color aids their ability to remain stealth for attacking their prey. Live shrimp or shrimp-tipped jigs dragged on the bottom are great baits for these tasty fish.
If you’re fishing the passes for flounder, you might find pompano running as well. If you’re in a boat and running the edges of sandbars in the bays, it’s possible that as you pass a bar, pompano will skip across your wake. Having a passenger on your boat to watch the wake can put you on some of these delicious fish. A favorite lure in the state is the Doc’s Goofy Jig. Specifically, the G2 is the most popular model that includes an attached teaser fly that adds to the fish-catching ability of this versatile lure. Traditionally, yellow or pink colors are favored by these fish, but orange can excel whenever sand fleas carry egg sacks. If you find these mole crabs in the surf along the beaches and they have egg sacks, you’ll generally see that the egg sacks are orange, and these eggs are like caviar to pompano. A new chartreuse colored Doc’s Goofy Jig you might seen in some stores soon also glows in the dark. Night glow colors have a proven track record for catches of dozens of different species of fish. These jigs sink quickly and are available from about an eighth ounce up to an ounce to optimize sink rates to compensate for depth and current strength.
Photo courtesy Capt. Ray Markham Trout fishing has improved but sizes of fish caught vary greatly depending on where you’re fishing. Areas from Dunedin north to Anclote Key and farther north are seeing some larger trout being caught on 17MR18 MirrOlure MirrOdines during daylight hours and on topwater MirrOlure Top Dogs and Berkley Cane Walkers around dawn and dusk and hours of the day with overcast skies. Upper Tampa Bay waters are producing some great catches of redfish for anglers fishing both live and cut pinfish. Artificial lures that have been productive include MirrOdines, CAL Jigs with Shad tails, and an assortment of gold spoons like the Johnson Silver Minnow and Eppinger Rex Spoon.
FRESHWATER Most areas this week have seen fewer rain showers to hamper getting on the water. But with lake levels at the overflow point, locating fish might be more difficult. Reports of some panfish preparing to spawn in the shallows have been received, but I can’t confirm. Bass fishing has been good, especially in the hours of darkness. Original Rapalas have been productive for anglers fishing Alligator Lake in Safety Harbor. On Lake Manatee, the DOA SnaKoil, Texas-rigged has been productive for bass to 5 pounds. Lake Tarpon reports are showing some big bass being caught on live shiners. It's often said that a bad day on the water beats a great day at work. Well, if fishing is your job, you can love both. Kids may not work, but a day on the water for kids will be remembered long after the fish have been eaten. Take a kid fishing. You’ll be glad you did. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
PREVIOUS REPORTS Aug. 29-31 Report A brief break from the rain in portions of our region this week is about all we might get for the next few days. More rain is forecast for the weekend. Severe thunderstorms and marine warnings were up for a good portion of the week keeping most anglers at the dock. Heavy rains will likely change not only water temperature but also salinity levels in some areas of shallow waters which could in turn move fish that might normally be there. Be aware that your honey holes may not produce, so don’t spend a lot of time at them if the bite is not happening.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Offshore anglers are looking forward to the two-week reopening of gag grouper beginning next week on Monday, September 1. Some have found big congregations of fat fish out beyond 150 feet of water. Like most years that have hurricanes, bottom structures will change radically and that will cause fish to move. Old GPS numbers might be obsolete for fishing but can still be used as a rule of thumb to find relocated wrecks and structures on the bottom. Some may move just a few feet and others, perhaps a half mile from their original spots.
Capt. Brian Morgan of Captain Morgan’s Fishing Adventures out of Marine Max in South Pasadena, ran some trips over the past couple of weeks that produced catches of triggerfish, red and scamp grouper, red snapper and a variety of others. Some big gag grouper were caught and released during the closure.
With the weather questionable, it’s imperative that boaters leave a float plan with someone onshore with the description of the vessel, the names and number of passengers, the anticipated area where they are headed and time of arrival back at the dock.
INSHORE Scattered reports from anglers who made it out to fish between storms have had some notable results. One interesting report was from Sarasota Bay where anglers have been seeing and catching bonefish, according to a report Capt. Geoffry Page gave to Capt. Jeff Hagaman. Hagaman said that snook have been showing up well to the north in Apalachicola Bay with the warm weather we have had. For years, an occasional bonefish would be caught in nets in the Sarasota area back before the net ban, so it’s reasonable to think that with warmer weather even these fish have migrated far from their normal stomping grounds as well.
Pompano action has been on the rise from Clearwater Pass north to Anclote Key and beyond. Anglers report catching them in the 4- to 5-pound class on Doc’s Goofy Jigs. Popular colors that have been effective up there have been yellow and pink. The G3 Goofy Jig, with the teaser, has been the most popular, and a new color, night glow, has been tested with some amazing results not only for pompano but a multitude of other species.
The snook bite at night continues to produce some fantastic catches for larger fish on live ladyfish and mullet, according to Capt. Dave Pomerleau, a.k.a. “The Mad Snooker”. Dock lights and bridge fenders around passes remain the hot spots up and down the coast. It’s all catch-and-release until the season reopens on September 1. A snook permit is required with a recreational fishing license to possess a snook in season. When on a for-hire trip captain and crew may not retain a bag limit. Go to https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/snook/ for more information.
The recent heavy rains seem to have scattered trout. Influences from last Saturday’s new moon could also play a part in this. As we head into the weekend with a quarter moon tide, currents will be slower and ambush feeding areas may change. Pinch points where wind-driven currents move water may become feeding stations wherever there are bait schools. Drifting a DOA Shrimp in the current is an effective way to catch a variety of fish including snook, trout and flounder.
FRESHWATER Lakes and residential retention ponds are about full to the brim, making locating fish more difficult. Noting where the food sources are will give you a hint to where you might find concentrations of fish. Baitfish schools could be found on vegetation off from shorelines where bass can ambush them. The perimeter of the lakes will see run-off from the shorelines and overhanging trees of an assortment of insects. These are prime areas for panfish such as bluegill, redears, and stumpknockers. Hyacinths, lily pads and other vegetation near the water’s edge will hold frogs. Weedless lures with frog patterns can be deadly here, along with weedless topwater lures like the DOA PT7, a tight walking surface lure.
A preferred method of catching fish in freshwater rivers and lakes is with a fly rod. Fly patterns can most closely imitate the natural forage that is too small to be cast with conventional fishing gear. Numerous fly shops and fly fishing clubs offer fly tying and fly fishing lessons along with several certified fly casting instructors in the region who offer private lessons. Dad, get your son or daughter and take up fly fishing if you haven’t already done it. It’s a great sport, a good way to bond, and a lot of fun. You’ll thank me later if you do. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Aug. 22-24 Report As we approach the new moon this Saturday, anglers might have to deal with more tropical moisture moving into the region. Good moving water can make for some banner action inshore.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE The offshore long-range trips out of Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass have produced some amazing loads of fish. Everything from triggerfish, dolphin, red, mangrove, lane, vermilion and mutton snapper, to red grouper, blackfin tunas, the occasional dolphin and wahoo, the action has been hot. A recent trip to a new area for one of the captains produced some phenomenal action with big gag grouper that were released. The September 1 two-week opening for gags will be a race to the fish for certain with the short season that’s tied in with the Labor Day holiday.
Nearshore fishing for anglers is producing some mangrove snapper action on the artificial reefs along with flounder and a variety of other species. Hogfish have not been plentiful in close but some legal fish have been caught around 60-to-80-foot depths and some triggerfish at around 100-120-foot depths.
The captains running party boats out of Hubbard's Marina at John's Pass have had anglers slaying the red and mangrove snappers. INSHORE Lots of water this week with big new moon high tides ahead. This will push fish back into the bushes, making it tough to get to them until the tide turns to head out. Water temperatures have been hot, topping 90 degrees. Finding some deeper water or water in shady areas where it’s a little cooler has been the key to finding fish that will eat in the heat. Live shrimp are a good natural option for lethargic fish. Finding docks with good water flow and a dock light can be hugely productive at night for snook, trout and juvenile tarpon, but those same fish that hang around and feed at these lights at night will usually remain there in the early morning hours, so the phrase, “the early bird gets the worm,” might apply if you’re the first to hit a dock that is productive at night. Bridges are also phenomenal fish attractors with bridge fenders being lit up at night.
Bridge light snook. Photo courtesy of Capt. Dave Pomerleau. Capt. Dave Pomerlaeu, a.k.a. “The Mad Snooker,” makes a living fishing at night for big snook. Whether he’s in his boat or driving the coast in his truck to find productive fishy areas, the fact is that he targets monster snook and puts anglers on their personal best snook regularly. Capt. Dave may be reached for charter at (727) 570-9711.
I get reports from the Nature Coast to our north, saying that big bull redfish are beginning to show up. I’m guessing this movement of big reds will increase with the weekend’s new moon. Stay tuned to the northern part of our region up around Ozona and the Tarpon Springs area for new arrivals of big spawner reds coming in from the Gulf. Cut bait and live mullet have been top natural baits for them. Trout fishing has been fairly consistent. The action isn’t hot but it’s steady for anglers fishing the DOA Deadly Combo. The DOA Shrimp has been a hot commodity for trout recently when fished in areas with good moving water in depths ranging from 5-to 7-feet deep over patches of grass. The Clam Bar in south Pinellas has been productive on the falling tides. An early morning topwater lure bite has been good around the Bunces Pass area for trout. Lures like the 94MR18 MirrOlure Top Dog and the 7MRS MirrOlure have been super productive for some over-slot trout and snook in the area.
Anglers working Sarasota Bay’s Long Bar with gold spoons are finding some string-stretching action with slot redfish. The Eppinger Rex weedless spoon is effective in the shallows over grassy areas with potholes, producing good numbers of both trout and redfish here.
The south end of Sarasota, approaching Venice, has been a hot spot for big snook for anglers fishing the dock lights. Live ladyfish or mullet have produced some of the largest linesiders here at night.
Pompano action has been good where you find them but since they move pretty often it’s tough to stay on these schooling fish, but reports of good action around Big Sarasota Pass, Bunces Pass, Pinellas Point, Pass-A-Grille Channel, John’s Pass, and Clearwater Pass have all had some action for anglers throwing Doc’s Goofy Jigs. The G3 model with the teaser has been deadly. A new glow chartreuse color has been super effective with a variety of teaser fly colors.
Tyson shown here with a nice Peace River largemouth bass caught while fishing with Capt. Rick Gross of Bradenton. FRESHWATER Capt. Rick Gross out of Bradenton has been running the rivers and lakes on occasion fishing for bass, panfish, and catfish. If you’re looking for a fun day on the water, many lakes and rivers in the region hold fair-to-good numbers of bass, assorted panfish, crappie, and catfish. A freshwater license is required and size and bag limits vary by location. For more information go to https://myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/regulations/ and take a kid fishing! ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Aug. 15-17 Report Weather issues on the “Sun” coast have plagued anglers over the past few weeks, but this week has seen some weather that’s been nothing short of a monsoon. I want to stress to those of you who leave boats in the water or get caught in a heavy downpour to ensure your bilge pump is functional and adequate to handle the water that can be dumped in during these storms. Reports of several boats sinking this week are evidence that some have issues.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE
The heat wave that has been hanging around in recent weeks is occasionally squelched by passing thunderstorms, but the humidity has been brutal in their wake. Staying hydrated has been an issue for some, because the thought doesn’t occur to drink water for some until they are already having signs of dehydration and are in danger of heat stroke or other heat-related issues. Being offshore and possibly more than an hour from shore to get help can prove fatal in some cases. Be sure to drink plenty of water.
The night fishing offshore has been good for anglers working beyond about 140 feet of water. Good numbers of mutton and red snappers are being caught on federally permitted charter boats. The mangrove snapper action has been off the charts, according to Capt. Dylan Hubbard, out of Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass. Running well offshore in the 140-to 160-feet depths, Hubbard’s 44-hour and 39-hour trips have produced some monster mangrove snappers topping 10 pounds and more, but the average mango has been running more than 5 pounds. Dolphin, a.k.a. mahi mahi, have been in the catch offshore and even near shore in about 60-feet at times, but the fish that are deeper (over 100 feet) have been bigger and have also been hanging where they have trolled up some blackfin tuna and the occasional wahoo.
Triggerfish, caught on the party boats out of Hubbard's Marina in John's Pass are top table fare. INSHORE
The inshore bite has been somewhat of a grind for a lot of anglers this past week. Frequent thunderstorms have made it difficult to be on the water. Water temperatures have gone from one extreme of over 93 degrees to dropping nearly 8 degrees in less than an hour in some areas due to heavy rainfall. Those who chose to be on the water for whatever action they could find ended up with a lot of short trout, a few redfish, jacks, and ladyfish. The beaches and passes are producing some snook for catch-and-release action. Coming up on this weekend’s quarter moon tides, you can expect to see some slower-moving water and perhaps much of the same action as last week. However, we have some tropical formations that are potentially gathering strength in the Atlantic to keep an eye on, which could potentially gain hurricane strength. It will be a good time to get your hurricane prep done if you haven’t already. It could be later than you think! Just prepare.
Capt. Ray Markham with a lower Tampa Bay trout caught on a 94MR21 MirrOlure Top Dog. Testing bilge pumps and replacing them if necessary, checking dates on flares, fire extinguishers, and life jackets for tears and wear, as well as the lights on the boat and trailer to ensure all are in good working order, will help avoid issues that can turn into emergencies. Don’t ignore trailer tires and bearings. Check the tire pressure regularly, and if it’s been six months or longer since you serviced the wheel bearings, it’s a good idea to check them or have it serviced.
Many boat ramps are still not in working order from the damage caused by hurricanes last year. Some still have no docks to tie boats up to after launching. This situation can lead to dangerous conditions and even cause damage to boats being launched. Some ramps have signs that say use at your own risk, while others are still closed. Parking at ramps that are back to normal has had a ridiculous number of boaters all looking to safely launch and park trailers at the limited parking spaces. In some instances, this creates issues for those coming later. Weekends are always a busy time on the water, so adjust your start time accordingly, and with the heat, early and late starts in the day are advisable, weather permitting. Another issue with limited ramps available is that when there is a pop-up thunderstorm and dozens of boaters are all looking to get off the water at the same time, the ramps become extremely busy with no place to tie up, causing boaters to have to wait to get out of harm’s way. So, take it into consideration if you launch at a ramp with limited availability.
Inshore opportunities exist despite hot conditions. Other variables can affect fish feeding, such as moving water, barometric pressure changes, major and minor solunar cycles, shade, and water depth (cooler water temperatures). Snook are still along the beaches and near and in the passes. Redfish have been scattered, but find some big jumping mullet, and it’s a good bet you might find some redfish around them. We caught several this week using CAL Jigs with Shad tails. Fishing off Pinellas Point was slow for us, with only a few undersized trout. Boca Ciega Bay held more trout for us, but better catches of redfish and trout were noted in the John’s Pass area. A few flounder have been caught on some of the nearshore artificial reefs recently. Live shrimp on jig heads have produced some nice fish.
To the north in the Pasco/Hernando area, better numbers of redfish are showing up. Johnson Silver Minnow Spoons have produced some reds along with DOA Shrimp and 17MR18 MirrOlure MirrOdines. Trout fishing has been good in the area, with upper slot fish being caught on popping corks and either live shrimp or DOA Shrimp.
Early morning topwater action around Sarasota Bay has been good for anglers throwing the 94MR21 MirrOlure Top Dog. Good numbers of redfish were caught around Long Bar, and trout have been caught on the deeper flats around the Sarasota Middle Grounds.
FRESHWATER
The dog days of summer are here, but panfish don’t care that much about the heat. They are still biting during the heat of the day, just not as vigorously. Early mornings can be super productive for fly fishing enthusiasts, tossing small poppers around the edges of the vegetation of most lakes. Lake Manatee has been producing some pretty big bluegill on flies of late, along with some nice bass on spinnerbaits. No matter what your targeted species is, it’s always a great day on the water, and especially so if you take a kid along with you. You’ll be glad you did. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Aug. 8-10 Report Inshore waters continue to be hot. Deeper areas around passes and channels with some current may be cooler. At 7 am, water temperatures started out at 88.6 degrees, and in areas I fished this week, at one point it was 93.3 degrees by midday. The incoming tide late in the day and evening has been a little cooler when accompanied by rain showers. Thunderstorms are still a threat and will continue to be scattered throughout the region as we head into the weekend. Stay alert for the next week with potential tropical activity on the rise.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE
Captain Morgan's Fishing Adventures out of Marine Max in So. Pasadena has had a full boat of anglers catching some big fish this week. Triggerfish, scamp and red grouper, red snapper, bull dolphin, and blackfin tuna.
Anglers fishing nearshore on the party boat out of Hubbard's Marina have had solid action with a variety of species, according to Capt. Dylan Hubbard. Lane snapper were chewing between 60 and 100 feet. Mangrove snapper action has been good on their 10-hour trips when using cut threadfins on a double snell rig. A few hogfish are being caught. Red grouper are around, but better action is seen in offshore depths, from about 100 feet deeper. Some terrific action with mahi mahi has been seen from time to time between 60 and 100 feet. A reminder that red snapper are closed currently for recreational anglers. Yellowtail and mutton snappers have also been in the catch. Pelagics are around with some blackfin tunas, an occasional wahoo, and dolphin. Red grouper are being caught from 140 to 160 feet of water.
A variety of fish including this bull dolphin filled the fish boxes this week for anglers fishing on Captain Morgan's Fishing Adventures out of Marine Max in So. Pasadena. FWC: Temporary closure of the Pasco Zone for the 2025 regional bay scallop season
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced a temporary closure of recreational bay scallop harvest in the Pasco Zone. This area includes all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco County line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, encompassing the Anclote River.
The FWC is tasked with proactively testing and acting to keep residents and visitors safe. This precautionary measure is due to the detection of saxitoxin and Pyrodinium bahamense at levels exceeding the safety thresholds established by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. The Pasco Zone may reopen for scallop harvesting once tests show levels have decreased to safe limits.
In the Pasco Zone, scallop harvesting is currently suspended. However, the area is still open for other recreational activities including fishing, boating and swimming. All other scallop harvest zones continue to operate as usual.
For more information and updates, visit MyFWC.com/Scallops. Additional details on Pyrodinium can be found in the FWC Pyrodinium bahamense factsheet .
Big redfish. INSHORE
The summer heat has been scorching, raising daytime water temperatures to the low and mid-90s. This is approaching a level where oxygen begins to drop in the water. This will move fish to cooler water, which may be found in either shady areas or in water with greater depths. Thermoclines exist, and fish will find them but they are not everywhere and are difficult to locate.
The trout bite has been slow for the most part, but strong afternoon outgoing tides have turned on a bite in the upper reaches of Boca Ciega Bay and at Pinellas Point.
Long Bar in Sarasota Bay has been holding some redfish, according to Capt. Scott Moore. Palma Sola Bay and Price's Key at the entrance have also had fair numbers of reds and snook that have been chewing on whitebait, and for anglers tossing artificial lures, the MirrOlure 17MR18 MirrOdine has been deadly. Good numbers of trout are being caught along the bulkhead on the outgoing tide and near the mouth of Terra Ceia Bay. Snook and redfish are schooling around 7 Pines near the mouth of the Manatee River. Expect to see more breeder-size redfish moving into the region on this weekend's full moon.
FRESHWATER
The heat has been brutal on the water, but the thunderstorms have been turning over shallow water lakes and turning on a bite in the cooler parts of the day. Topwater frog lures have been effective around vegetation and the edges of it. Buzz baits worked around weed lines early and late on Lake Tarpon have been crushing some bass. Some of the largest bass caught there have come on live wild shiners. Bluegill are cooperating on live crickets and earthworms. Grab your cane pole, get the kids in the truck, and go fishing. You'll be glad you did, and they will remember it forever. ‘Til then…I'll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
Aug. 1-3 Report The heat wave in Florida has broken records again this week, with little relief in sight. “Feels like” temperatures of over 112 degrees have been reported, along with numerous people feeling the effects of the heat with heat-related illnesses. It's vitally important for those in the sun to stay hydrated. If you're fishing, proper hydration should start the night before by drinking plenty of water. Alcohol creates the opposite and dehydrates the body. Drink water while on the boat and in the sun regularly, even if you're not feeling thirsty at the time. Try to stay out of the sun during the hours of noon and about 4 pm when the heat is at its greatest.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE
Long runs offshore can take a lot of time if you're in a slow boat or during rough sea conditions. This can affect decisions where anglers may choose to fish because of strong thunderstorms that have been building on most days. Trying to outrun them or avoid them can sometimes leave you in a bad spot that you can't avoid. Be certain that you leave a float plan with someone onshore stating your vessel ID, names, and number of passengers on board, the areas you intend to travel to, and your expected time of return and that location. I don't know about you, but when I get off the water after a long day, all I can say is ahh when I get into air conditioning. The heat is exhausting, and a nice cold shower or a dip in a pool helps.
Some anglers with big boats or party boats like some of those out of Hubbard's Marina have the luxury of air conditioning, so you can get out of the heat for a while. It makes fishing all that much better, and for those who have been taking advantage of their trips, either their 12-hour extreme, 39-hour, or 44-hour, have been having some excellent fishing days. In the catch have been good numbers of red snapper, mangrove snapper, red grouper, scamp grouper, porgies, blackfin tuna, dolphin, and an occasional wahoo. A few other species round out the catch. The full kitchen onboard also makes it nice to get in the AC and have a terrific hamburger with all the trimmings, as well as other options for a full meal.
Anglers aboard Captain Morgan's Fishing Adventures out of St. Petersburg are seeing red—snapper and grouper. The red snapper season for recreational anglers closes at midnight on July 31st, your last opportunity to keep a red snapper until it reopens on Sept. 1. For the full list of the remaining scheduled openings and closures for recreational red snapper, go to myfwc.com .
Flounder have been caught on many of the nearshore artificial reefs recently for anglers using whitebait, shrimp, or jigs.
INSHORE
Water temperatures have been touching 90 degrees or more at times in some areas, making for a slow bite for many anglers. Definitely, the cooler parts of the day have been more productive with the shutdown coinciding with the sweat dripping down the back of my neck.
Usually, we've found things slowing around 10 a.m. but for anglers hitting the water immediately after a thunderstorm, some action was there to be had, and for some it's been spoons, like the Eppinger Rex gold weedless spoon, for others, a shad style soft plastic such as the CAL 3-inch Shad tail rigged on a jig head.
Topwater action has been good for early morning anglers hitting the mangrove edges and potholes right about sunrise. A few large trout over 24 inches have been caught around Sarasota Bay, but reports from several anglers over the past couple of weeks have been about the consistency of 20-inch or larger speckled trout being caught off the beaches from Bradenton Beach to Sand Key in about 20 feet of water. Most have been caught on jigs or the new MirrOlure Lil' John in the new Space Dust color, MRLJ-30A, rigged on a quarter-ounce jighead. Redfish action seems to be picking up slowly, with backwater reds being caught on suspending lures like the Berkley Stick Shadd and the 17MR MirrOlure MirrOdine. Some of the best action has been with live and cut pinfish fished around the mangroves and oyster bars.
The night snook bite has been good around dock lights on this past new moon. Anglers working the bridge pilings and lights at night are also finding good action with DOA Deep running Baitbusters and DOA TerrorEyz while drifting through the passes. The beaches continue to hold plenty of snook. The north tip of Honeymoon Island and around Caladesi Island have seen consistent catches of snook around the last third of the outgoing tide in that area.
Working the beaches at Fort DeSoto Park this week with a #1 LB Huntington Drone Spoon in silver with a chartreuse flashy side, I caught several snook to 26 inches.
Terry Lee Gillingham of St. Pete. caught this bull redfish while fishing near John's Pass. FRESHWATER
Coming off the new moon, the bass bite was pretty good up in Alligator Lake at Safety Harbor while fishing a Rapala Skitter Prop and the 12LS21 L&S MirrOlure popper. Several fish in the 3 to 4-pound class were caught and released.
Rainy days can cool off some of these hot lakes, triggering a surface bite with poppers, topwater walking plugs, and frog lures when fished around grassy edges and structure. Bring a raincoat and have some fun! ‘Til then…I'll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
July 25-27 Report The new moon on Thursday, the 24th, will bring some faster-moving currents, both inshore and offshore, as well as higher and lower than normal tides that should trigger a good bite inshore. Offshore anglers might best target bottom species on slower portions of the tide as fish move away from structure to feed. Both inshore and offshore anglers have plenty of choices of species to target.
OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE
With numerous thunderstorms around the region, most anglers have chosen to stay a short run to the dock in the event of a run to escape a thunderstorm that blows up, threatening safety. All anglers should realize that while you see lightning off in the distance, it doesn't mean that it can't strike you, even if the storm is 10 miles or farther away from your location. NOAA has documented lightning strikes of people at 10 miles from a storm, but it can happen at even greater distances, so if you can hear thunder, it's said that you are within the range of being struck, and NOAA advises that you head for the safety of shelter. Remove all fishing rods in vertical rod holders and lower antennas to avoid attracting a lightning strike.
Anglers working nearshore waters from about 50 to 65 feet of water have been busy reeling in chicken dolphin, mahi mahi. Most are in the 5-to-8-pound class with a few over that size. In addition, red snapper fishing continues with good catches of legal fish starting in depths beginning about 80 feet of water and beyond, with larger fish being caught at 100-plus feet. Mangrove snapper have never given up! Mangos still aim to please anglers who target them anywhere from 20 feet of water over hard bottom and structure, and deeper. Areas inside Tampa Bay along the Ship's Channel and over patches of hard bottom south of the Skyway continue to give up some mangos, up to about 2 or 3 pounds. Anglers hitting depths beyond 120 feet are finding a few mutton snappers and plenty of red grouper. Scamp grouper landings are coming from some of the deepest depths beyond 120 feet. Wahoo and some blackfin tuna have been in the catch recently for anglers trolling depths beyond 120 feet out of St. Petersburg using Nomad lures.
Triggerfish will be reopen August 1st. This one caught by an angler fishing with Capt. Morgan's Fishing Adventures in St. Petersburg. INSHORE
Trout fishing has been very good over the past few weeks. Reports from anglers fishing from Venice north to Anclote Key and above have been catches of trout up to 24 inches. Limits of fish have been easy to come by in most areas. A variety of lures are being used to catch these fish, depending on the area and conditions fished. Early morning anglers working the water with topwater lures are having excellent action with the big MirrOlure 94MR18 Top Dog in Sarasota and Terra Ceia Bays. Many over-slot fish have been released in these areas on the topwater walking lure. A good number of slot-size trout have been caught on DOA Deadly Combos with the 3-inch DOA Shrimp. CAL Jigs with Shad tails using ¼ oz. jig heads have been putting good numbers of fish in the boat, too. Most have come from sandy potholes and just into channel edges around the bottom of the tide. Flounder have also been in the mix recently around sandy passes with some shell bottom, depth changes, and moving water.
Anglers fishing north of Anclote Key have seen snook action on the rise. This week's new moon tides should accelerate that activity and consolidate snook in spawning areas. The 17MR18 MirrOlure MirrOdine and the Berkley Stick Shadd have been very effective on multiple species, including snook. It's likely that there will be more male fish present than females. Catch-and-release is mandatory during this closed season. Remove hooks quickly and handle minimally to enhance a live release. If possible, allow the fish to remain in the water while affecting the release.
Closed-season snook like this one are caught and released anglers fishing with Capt. Rick Gross out of Bradenton. Tarpon action has slowed quite a bit, but this weekend might be a good one to give the early morning a shot and late afternoon another shot at pitching baits to fish on the late day outgoing tide. For my 2 cents, the afternoon outgoing is the one I have most success with. Live baiters will find dollar-sized crabs a good choice. But live pinfish under a cork, whitebait, or a big threadfin or menhaden will all get some attention. With the currents moving as fast as they will late in the day, something lively either on top or suspended might get the most attention. Anglers fishing the Southwest Channel near Egmont Key are having pretty good success, as well as those hitting the outside bar just north of Bunces Pass. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is always a good option. To the south, Longboat Pass, New Pass and Point O' Rocks near Siesta Key are some excellent locations for tarpon. Bean Point off the tip of Anna Maria might be a little crowded, and just to the north and a bit west at Passage Key, the shallows can produce some fish if you're patient, stealthy and keep a low profile in those gin-clear shallow waters. Fly anglers have done pretty well with black-and-purple Bunny flies.
It won't be long before anglers may find increasing numbers of tarpon up inside Tampa Bay around the upper bay bridges. Just south of the Courtney Campbell Causeway at the first bridge on the west side is a great location on the flats for some early morning poon action. Fly anglers and those chucking artificial lures like the DOA Trolling Model, Baitbuster and MirrOlure Catch 2000 with some 4X strong hooks can easily hook up. Most areas are between 6- and 10-foot depths, but for shallower areas, I like the larger MirrOlure 37MR18 MirrOdine. This suspending lure flat out catches fish!
FRESHWATER
It's hard to say I don't want to be somewhere on a lake catching bass or bluegill right now, because I'd be lying if I did. The benefit of living in an area that's loaded with many retention ponds, and smaller lakes is that you can put a small boat or kayak in and fish for a few hours, and with the thunderstorms that have been raging here over the past month, it's just a short hop back to shore and safety to get off the water if lightning threatens.
Big panfish like redears, stumpknockers, bluegill, and others like this one from Lake Seminole in Pinellas County are terrific sport on ultra light tackle. These approaching storms have been pretty violent at times and have been triggering some fantastic action before the storms and after the storms pass for anglers, both bass fishing and dropping red wigglers, grubs, or crickets for bluegill. A variety of panfish have been available. Stumpknockers, red ears, warmouth, and many others will take a variety of baits and small lures rigged on a simple cane pole or ultralight rod with a spincast reel. Light line, testing 10-pound test for bass, is all you need for these fish, along with a TruTurn bass worm hook, and a live shiner or soft plastic worm like a 5-inch green pumpkin Senco will get you some action. But for panfish, a long shank # 6 or #8 Team Crappie cam action hook is perfect for fishing worms, grubs, or crickets. The long shank makes dehooking a much easier task.
Personally, I love getting a light fly rod like a 4 or 5 weight, 8- to 9-foot rod for bass and bluegill with some foam spiders or poppers, and have at it. I love seeing the surface strikes and landing these fish on a fly rod. Regardless of the methods you choose and the gear you take with you, even down to a simple cane pole, there's few things more exciting to a youngster that getting them on the water for their first trip or even the first of many to experience the excitement of a fish pulling on their line, and the memory of doing it with you will last both you and them a lifetime. Do your kids, AND yourself, a favor and take them fishing. You'll be glad you did. ‘Til then…I'll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
